Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada, Udupi districts receive heavy rainfall; holiday declared for schools, colleges

MANGALURU: The apprehensive Dakshina Kannada district administration on Friday declared a two-day holiday for schools and PU colleges after the district received heavy downpour late on Thursday night from 11.30pm onwards. The unexpected May 29 deluge in Mangaluru city has kept the district administration on toes to combat any eventuality occurring due to rains and as a precautionary measure, the holiday was declared considering the heavy rainfall in taluks of the district.
Udupi District administration declared a one-day holiday on Friday for all schools and colleges.

Children return home in the drizzle
The downpour was such that Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) sent 222 heavy rainfall alerts in the five taluks of the district – Belthangady, Sullia, Puttur, Bantwal and Mangaluru. The district recorded 120.6 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours from 8.30am of Thursday. Mangaluru Taluk received the highest rainfall of 144.6 mm, with Belthangady taluk receiving the least at 84mm of rainfall. Bantwal, Sullia and Puttur taluks received 129mm, 124 and 121mm of rainfall respectively indicating the extent of downpour last night till Friday morning. Last year, the district had received just 4.4mm of rainfall on the same day. The district receives 941 mm of rainfall as normal average till June end and this year, the rainfall has been 159mm in the first eight days of the month. Last year it was 98mm of rainfall till June 8.

Children return home in the drizzle
After the district administration declared holiday, there was a sudden lull and rains petered off, but the skies were overcast indicating rainfall later in the evening.
KSNMDC started sending heavy rainfall alerts as early as 11.30pm on Thursday night starting with 65.5mm of rainfall being recorded at Kanakamajalu of Sullia taluk and 124.5mm of rainfall at Kokkada of Belthangady taluk. KSNMDC sends heavy rainfall alerts on specific areas where heavy rainfall occurs in a span of 10-15 minutes.