Uttara Kannada bears brunt of cyclonic rain

Mangaluru: Though rainfall petered out in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi on Wednesday there was widespread heavy rainfall in Uttara Kannada district in the last 24 hours disrupting normal life, especially traffic on the Mumbai-Karwar National Highway. While DK received 116mm of rainfall, Udupi received 117mm in the last 24 hours till 8.30am on Wednesday.
Reports reaching here from Uttara Kannada said, since Wednesday morning heavy rainfall between Karwar and Bhatkal disrupted normal life.Many places along National Highway 66 were water-logged leading to traffic gridlock.
“The water logging on the NH is due to four-laning along that stretch from Kundapur to Karwar. Where NHAI has completed the four-lane work, there’s no inundation. But where work is in progress, there is heavy water logging and traffic is moving at a snail’s pace,” said a person travelling from Karwar to Bhatkal. Kumta and Ankola also witnessed heavy water logging of roads. Nagarbastikeri in Honnavar taluk of Uttara Kannada received 204mm rainfall and Murudeshwara near Bhatkal received 145mm rainfall.
The meteorological department stated that under the influence of depression over north Interior Karnataka and adjoining areas of Maharashtra and Telangana, the Karnataka coast will receive moderate to heavy rainfall.
Udupi district also received heavy rains in the last 24 hours till Wednesday afternoon. Three areas of Kundapur taluk received the highest rainfall in the state. They were Balkuru (370mm), Koni (325mm) and Basruru (245mm). In Karkala, the house of Indira Jayakar Shetty at Mundli was damaged after the compound wall collapsed on the house.
In DK, Mangaluru and Bantwal taluks received the highest rainfall at 146mm and 138 mm respectively. Puttur and Belthangady taluks received 103mm and 120mm of rainfall with Sullia taluk receiving the least at 74mm.
In Bantwal, a portion of a wall of centuries old Sri Karinjeshwara Temple collapsed due to incessant rains late on Tuesday night and was noticed by temple authorities on Wednesday. Officials who inspected the premises said there was no danger to the temple.
In DK, Neermarga (217mm) in Mangaluru taluk, Meramajalu in Bantwal taluk (166mm), Mennabettu and Kemral in Mangaluru taluk received rainfall of 155mm of rainfall each.
KSNMDC warned that squally weather with wind speed reaching 45-55kmph is likely to prevail over the coast and warned fishermen not to venture into the sea.