Karnataka Rains: IMD Warns Of Floods In Coastal Districts, Orange Alert For 5 Days Amid Hefty Downpour

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Heavy rains have been pounding the coastal and hilly districts of Karnataka since Sunday night, raising fears of severe flooding. In Uttara Kannada, water has inundated low-lying areas, flooding dozens of homes. Udupi city is also grappling with artificial flooding, which has affected over 110 houses and disrupted daily life. More than 100 flood-affected residents from both districts have been evacuated to safer locations and care centres.

On Monday, five taluks in Uttara Kannada and one taluk in Dakshina Kannada declared a holiday for schools and colleges due to the weather conditions. With heavy rain predicted to continue, authorities have extended the holiday to all taluks in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and schools and colleges in Kumata and Honnavar taluks of Uttara Kannada on Tuesday.
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The relentless downpours in the coastal districts have caused significant concern among residents of low-lying and riverbank areas. Udupi district has recorded around 200 mm of rain in the last 24 hours, leading to the flooding of hundreds of acres of agricultural land and over 110 homes. Residents in many low-lying areas of Udupi city are struggling with flooding.

In Udupi, the Indrani stream overflowed into the parking area of the Kendra Bindu Krishna Math, causing chaos among tourists trying to park their vehicles. Nearby areas such as Bailakare, Mathadabettu, Gundibailu, Padigaru, Karambali, and Bannanje have also experienced severe flooding. Fire brigade personnel, using boats, worked overnight to evacuate residents from these areas. Around 30 houses in the Padigaru area were inundated, leaving residents worried throughout the night.
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In Honnavar taluk of Uttara Kannada district, the NDRF team evacuated 60 people from the flood-affected Kada Toka village to a care centre. A total of 313 people have been sheltered in eight care centres set up in Honnavar taluk.

The hilly areas are not spared either. Kalasa, Mudigere, and Shangeri in Chikkamagaluru district have received substantial rainfall, causing rivers Tunga, Bhadra, and Hemavati to overflow. The Tungabhadra River's overflow poses a flood threat to Harpanahalli in Davangere district, where preparations are underway to set up care centres.
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The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an 'Orange Alert' for the coastal districts, predicting heavy rain with wind for the next five days.

In Belagavi, heavy rains in Maharashtra have caused alarm in the Chikkodi sub-division of Belagavi. Rising water levels in rivers, including the Krishna, have flooded four bridges in Chikkodi. The Mallikawada-Dattawada Bridge in Chikkodi, Karadaga-Boj in Nippani taluk, Kunnoor-Bhojawadi Bridge, and Manjari-Bhavana Soundatti Bridge are all underwater. The Doodganga River's water level has risen, affecting the Muldanaki Baba Dargah in Yaksamba, Chikkodi.

The ongoing heavy rains in Maharashtra's Western Ghats have raised fears of flooding in northern Karnataka districts like Belagavi, Vijayapur, Bagalkot, Yadgiri, and Kalaburagi.

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