Red alert sounded in Dakshina Kannada today

Incessant rains in the catchment areas has resulted in flood waters inundating many houses and destroying standing crops in Bantwal taluk on Saturday.

Heavy rains damaged over seven houses, flash floods inundated 6.73 hectares of horticultural crop and 20.2 hectares of paddy crop. Shops, houses located in low lying areas including Panemangaluru, Aladka, Goodinabali, Thumbe, Talapady, were inundated with flood water. The road connecting BC Road and Upiinangady and the bridge connecting Nandavar were completely submerged disrupting vehicular movement.

Video goes viral

A pick-up van parked near a channel in Neerakatte by its owner Arif of Kolpe near Nelyady, was washed away due to the sudden increase in the water-level in the river. Arif had parked the pick-up van to wash it. With the help of local people, he managed to drag the vehicle to safety. A video of the van being swept in the river went viral on social media on Saturday. Umesh Shetty of Kallumattu in Sullia and Mary Shrija
of Nekkilady had a narrow escape after a portion of their house was damaged due to landslides.

A 70 year-old woman identified as Lakkamma from Hanumanthanar in Bengaluru, was foud dead in Bajathur, near Neerakatte. Uppinangady police have registered a case and suspect that the woman might have drowned in Dharmasthala. Due to heavy rains, all rivers, including Netravati, Nandini, Palguni, Kumaradhara and Kapila were flowing in spate. The rivers, on the verge of breach, however receded by evening. The district administration has declared a red alert on Sunday and are expecting a rainfall of 204 cm.

The district administration has identified as many as 102 villages as very vulnerable. Belthangady taluk topped the list of taluks with as many as 35 such vulnerable villages.