Monsoon gains momentum in N-K, Malnad districts

A flooded road in Badami of Bagalkot district following heavy showers.

A stream overflowed affecting road connectivity at Gojanuru village in Lakshmeshwar, of Gadag district.

Rain gained momentum in the state particularly in north Karnataka, with torrential showers lashing the region on Sunday.

Hubballi received first rain of the season. The showers which began at around 2 pm, pounded the tiwy for more than one and half hours and subsided in the evening.

The heavy rainfall exposed the ill-preparedness of the civic administration for monsoon. While a majority of the roads were flooded due to clogged drains, rain water gushed into houses in low-lying areas. Motorists had a hard time navigating flooded roads. Two-wheelers were seen floating on water accumulated on the roads in old Hubballi area.

MLA Prasad Abbayya, who visited the affected areas had to wade through knee-deep water on Mattur Road. Sources said that three houses wre damaged in Old Hubballi while two houses collapsed
in Myadar lane.

Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike officials said that till 7.30 pm their control room received more than 500 rain-related complaints and claimed that most of them had been addressed.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Ravi Poojari was struck dead by lightning in Kalaghatagi taluk of Dharwad district. The whole of Dharwad district received copious rains on Sunday.

Heavy rain accompanied with thunder and lightning lashed Badami in Bagalkot district. Agastya Theertha got water for the first time this year. There had been widespread rain in the taluk triggerring agricultural activities. Rabakavi-Banahatti also received heavy rain for about 30 minutes. Sky remained cloudy in Bagalkot since morning and it opened up by evening. Tavaragera in Koppal district received heavy rain.

After a break of three weeks, Lakshmeshwar in Gadag district received heavy rain on Sunday. There were reports of moderate rain in Gadag, Ron, Holealur, Mulgund and Gajendragad. Rain lashed Nargund town for more than an hour.

There was heavy rain in Kalaburagi and Bidar districts in Hyderabad-Karnataka region. Farmers in Chincholi, Kalagi and Sedam taluk heaved a sigh of relief with rains making a good beginning. Chincholi received rain from dawn to dusk.

Humnabad and Chitaguppa in Bidar district received brisk rain. A woman was washed away while her 14-year-old son drowned after they tried to cross a brimming Yalladagundi canal in Basavakalyan of Bidar district. The canal was in full flow following heavy rain. While the body of the boy was traced after a while, his mother is still missing. The deceased has been identified as Bhagyesha Parameshwara.

There was widespread rain Uttara Kannada district on Saturday and Sunday. More than 50 houses have been marooned in Ankola taluk as several ponds overflowed. A team led by Deputy Commissioner Dr K Harish Kumar visited the affected areas. There were reports of moderate rain in Davangere and Shivamogga while there was drizzle in Holalkere and Challakere taluks of Chitradurga district.

Mysuru, Kodagu and Hassan districts received intermittent rain on Sunday. Sky was overcast in Mysuru since morning and it began to rain by noon. Madikeri, Somwarpet, Napoklu, Bhagamandala and Talacavery received heavy rains towards noon. Sakleshpur in Hassan district too received rains.