As heavy rains continue to lash parts of Karnataka, a rain holiday has been declared in eight districts on Thursday, July 7. Authorities of the Dakshina Kannada district have announced a rain holiday for the third consecutive day on Thursday, July 7. Holiday has been declared in seven other districts as well — Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga, where educational institutions, including anganwadis, schools and colleges, will remain closed to prevent any rain-related mishaps. In Haasan, the holiday has been declared in three taluks — Alur, Arakalgud and Sakaleshpura.
The orders come as the India Meteorological Department has sounded a red warning in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada on July 7. The same day, an orange warning is in place in Shivamogga, Belagavi, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, while a yellow warning has been sounded in Hassan, Haveri, Dharwad, Gadag and Kalaburagi. The heavy rains are set to continue, with the IMD announcing an orange warning for Uttara Kannada, Udupi Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu for Friday, July 8.
The government is on alert in these districts, following the death of three people due to a landslide in Dakshina Kannada. Four men from Kerala, who worked as labourers in Bantwal taluk, were trapped under mud after their house collapsed on them due to a landslip. The incident occurred late on Wednesday, July 6. Of the four, one person died on the spot while three others were rescued and taken to the local hospital by emergency services. Two of the three persons who were rescued later succumbed.
Over the next few days, heavy rainfall is likely to occur over north Karnataka districts — Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburgi and Belagavi — and south interior Karnataka including Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu and Shivamogga districts.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in Kodagu, Karwar and Udupi. “Instructions have been given to stop sea erosion, evacuate people living in low-lying places with common landslide occurrences, and also keep roads clear. Our teams are prepared with all equipment,” the CM said.
With the onset of the southwest monsoon, most places in the state have been seeing rainfall, and the monsoon has been especially active over the north-interior, coastal and south-interior districts.