Incessant overnight rains disrupted life in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts in coastal Karnataka and left parts of the district inundated in rainwater on Sunday. Water entered homes, inundated paddy fields and blocked off roads in Udupi after a spell of overnight rains prompting rescue operations by local residents and teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials. No loss of life was reported in Udupi district so far.
Rising water levels were reported in Udupi, Gundibailu, Alevoor, Adi Udupi, Kinimulky, Mulky, Brahmavara, Badagupete, and in villages in Karkala taluk including Yennehole and Hermunde. The main roads connecting Kalsanka and Gundibailu, Udupi and Mangaluru were blocked due to water-logging.
Water-levels were similarly high in the coastal Mattu village in Udupi district and local residents began rescue operations to ensure those who are living in low-lying areas are shifted to safer places.
Condition of Mattu village of Mulki. Flood has reached many houses are people are getting rescued by local men. @KotianUmanath. @publictvnews @News18Kannada @daijiworldnews @prajwalmanipal pic.twitter.com/NVmHnubvYy
— Mahi Mulki (@Mahimulki) September 20, 2020
Rising water levels were also reported in the Udupi Sri Krishna Temple’s parking lot area. Visuals showed that the parking area was submerged in water. Three boats capsized in the port in Malpe in the district following the heavy rains.
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) had earlier warned fishermen in the coastal districts against venturing out into the sea and many boats which were at sea had also returned to the coast after the red alert was issued.
While heavy rainfall is common in the coastal districts of Karnataka, residents reported that the rainfall was much higher than usual on Saturday. “The rains were fairly consistent throughout the day (on Saturday) and increased overnight. When we woke up this morning, there was water up to the knee level on the roads leading to our home,” Varun, a resident of Gundibailu in Udupi told TNM.
The rains continued to lash on Sunday morning threatening residents living in low-lying areas of Udupi district. Kota Srinivas Poojary, District in-charge Minister, Dakshina Kannada, told reporters that more NDRF teams will arrive in Udupi to help with rescue efforts.
A helpline number - 1077 - is active for for residents in Udupi to make complaints about damages due to the rains.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall was reported in Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday and a worker died after the compound wall of a school in Mangaluru's Kulur area collapsed. Umesh, 38, a daily wage worker was working close to the school compound and was buried in the debris following the collapse of the wall.
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) reported very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over parts of coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka on Saturday. A red alert was issued in coastal Karnataka and heavy rains were reported in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada throughout the day on Saturday before overnight rains caused flooding. A similar warning was issued by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) as well.
Continuous rainfall was reported in Kodagu district of Karnataka with rainfall of 94mm recorded in Bhagamandala in the district.