Multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain across coastal Karnataka on Friday, May 30, claimed at least four lives, including three children, and leaving several others injured. In one of the worst-hit incidents, a landslide struck a house in Manjanady village of Mangaluru's Ullal taluk around 4 am, killing three members of a family and critically injuring another.
The landslide occurred when nearly 30 feet of earth, along with a large tree, collapsed on the residence of Kanthappa Poojari. His wife Prema (54) was killed on the spot, and her body is yet to be recovered. Her daughter-in-law Ashwini (33) and her two children, Aryan (3) and Aarush (2), were also in the house. While Ashwini was rescued in a serious condition, both children were found dead under the debris. Kanthappa Poojari was rescued with injuries, and his son Seetharama managed to escape.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed for rescue operations, which are still ongoing.
In another rain-induced tragedy in the region, a 10-year-old girl named Nayeema died after a compound wall collapsed on her house in Kanakare near Bellugrama. The retaining wall behind her house gave way, and debris crashed through a window into her room, fatally injuring her.
Several houses have been submerged or damaged due to continuous rain and flooding, with localities such as Kumpala, Kallapu, Dharmanagara, Uchila, Talapady, Vidyanagar, and Kalkatta reporting waterlogging and significant damage. In Kallapu alone, over 50 homes have been affected. Officials said that in Talapady, one house was severely damaged, and the family had to be evacuated during the night.
Government officials including Ullal tahsildar Puttaraju, revenue inspector Pramod, Someshwara municipal chief officer Mattadi, and village accountant Suresh visited the affected areas to oversee relief measures.
In urban areas of Mangaluru city, flooding was reported in Jeppinamogaru, Rao and Rao Circle, Mission Street, and Kopparahitlu. A tree fell on the railway track between Mangaluru Central and Netravathi Cabin, disrupting train services temporarily. Train operations were diverted to Mangaluru Junction, and though movement on the affected stretch resumed by 10:30 am, several trains continued to run late due to cascading delays from rain-related issues across Kerala as well.
Mangaluru Central Railway Station’s circulating and parking area was also submerged.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, who is in charge of Dakshina Kannada district, is scheduled to arrive in Mangaluru on the evening of May 30 to assess the damage and review the response to the heavy rainfall and landslides.