A minor landslide in Agumbe Ghat between Shivamogga and Udupi districts of Karnataka brought vehicular traffic to a halt early on Sunday morning, July 10. The famous Agumbe Ghat is an important link road connecting Malnad and coastal Karnataka and is close to Hebri and Theerthahalli towns. The landslide occurred near the third hairpin curve of the ghat near Someshwar, following a week of heavy rains in the region. Agumbe recorded 164.5 mm of rainfall on Saturday, the highest amount of rainfall recorded in Shivamogga district. The Charmadi and Shiradi Ghats, two other link roads connecting to coastal Karnataka, are currently open, officials told TNM.
Landslip on Agumbe ghat this morning following heavy rains in the past week. Traffic being diverted for now, those travelling should plan alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/QkRiUzS0tR
— Prajwal (@prajwalmanipal) July 10, 2022
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday, July 9, said that the rains in Karnataka and Maharashtra are set to continue next week. "The off-shore trough is spread from Gujarat coast to Karnataka coast. There is an east-west shear zone, which is contributing to the increasing intensity of the showers," the IMD said.
Rainfall in the Western Ghats has raised the water levels of the river Kali in Uttara Kannada district by three feet. The people of Dandeli town are worried as the water has started inundating residential areas in the outskirts already. Along with coastal and Malnad districts, north Karnataka districts are also bearing the brunt of rain fury.
The District Commissioner of Kalaburagi had declared a holiday for schools and colleges on Saturday following heavy rains. A yellow warning has also been issued for Belagavi and Bidar districts.
The IMD has said that scattered heavy to very heavy rain, with isolated extremely heavy rainfall, is likely to occur over all the districts of coastal Karnataka. “Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Shivamogga districts of South Interior Karnataka. Heavy rain is also likely to occur at isolated places over Belagavi, Dharwad, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Bijapur and Yadgir districts of north interior Karnataka and Hassan district of south interior Karnataka,” the IMD said on Saturday. A red warning is in place for these places till July 11.