A landslide was reported at the popular tourist spot Nandi Hills in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district on Wednesday, August 25. According to reports, heavy rains that lashed the area overnight is believed to have caused the landslide. While there is no immediate report of any casualties, the landslide is said to have blocked many routes leading to the town. Rangappa Circle has been blocked due to the landslide and Chikkaballapura district police have been asking tourists headed to Nandi Hills to return.
Visuals show the road covered in the debris of mud, rocks and trees. Visuals show a large mound of mud separating from the hill and rolling down onto the road. A portion of the road at Nandi Cross road has been damaged, reports Deccan Herald. Reports say 10 NDRF teams have been sent to the spot to clear the debris. Videos from the spot of the landslide show a bulldozer at the spot clearing the mud off the road.
ನಿನ್ನೆ ರಾತ್ರಿ ಸುರಿದ ಭಾರಿ ಮಳೆಯಿಂದಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ ಪ್ರವಾಸಿ ತಾಣವಾದ ನಂದಿ ಬೆಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಭೂಕುಸಿತದಿಂದಾಗಿ ರಸ್ತೆ ಕೊಚ್ಚಿ ಹೋಗಿದೆ. ಸದ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ನಂದಿ ಬೆಟ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಚಾರ ಸ್ಥಗಿತೊಂಡಿದ್ದು, ರಸ್ತೆ ರಿಪೇರಿ ಕಾರ್ಯವನ್ನು ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. #Nandi #nandihills pic.twitter.com/ZjxV85xoG4
— Dr Sudhakar K (@mla_sudhakar) August 25, 2021
Reports say due to the heavy rains, the power supply has also been disrupted in Nandi Hills. Houses in low-lying areas like Jai Bheem Nagar were flooded and the residents have expressed their anger over the municipal authorities, stated a report.
N Gopal, a special officer at Nandi Hills told Public TV that the route between the hilltop and the base has been cut off due to the landslide. The officer said that incidents of mudslides were reported previously, however, this was the first time they witnessed a landslide.
#JustIn: Heavy rains around #NandiHills since yesterday night. Landslide near to the road, traffic halted. A bus was stranded near Nandi Cross road. @DeccanHerald @mla_sudhakar #Bengaluru #Rains pic.twitter.com/a2owzwrIKl
— Niranjan Kaggere (@nkaggere) August 25, 2021
Heavy rains had been predicted for Chikkaballapur, with the forecast predicting isolated heavy to very heavy rains. Chikkaballapura on Tuesday received 4.1 mm of rainfall, stated IMD. The IMD has predicted the district is likely to see widespread light to moderate rainfall until August 30. Visuals from other areas of the district show waterlogging and flooding in many places.
A yellow alert had been declared for Chikkaballapur and eight other districts in Karnataka — including Bengaluru Urban, Bangalore Rural, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Ramanagara and Shivamogga.