MANGALURU: Normal life was disrupted in the coastal and Western Ghats districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada following incessant rains over the past few days, officials said.
Uttara Kannada district collector K Lakshmipriya said that there was heavy rain in the coastal parts of the district on Monday and 313 people had been taken to eight care centres opened in Honnavar taluk. As a result of the 'excess rain,' many low-lying areas in the undivided Dakshina Kannada (including Udupi) were flooded.
However, on Monday there were no incidents of flooding inside Mangaluru city, but inundation was reported in lower parts of Bantwal town situated near the riverfront.
Officials at Karnataka State Natural Disasters Monitoring Centre (KSNMDC) said they were closely monitoring this area and a rescue team was on standby.
Meanwhile, in Uttara Kannada, 10,600 cusecs water was released from the four gates of the Kadra reservoir of Kali river on Monday, as the water level crossed the danger threshold.
Incidentally, when 6,000 cusecs of water were released on Saturday, to relieve pressure off the overflowing Kali river, downstream villages of Kadra dam, Kadra, Mallapur, Kerodi, Baira Balani, Karga, Ulag and Halaga were affected.
Areas that witnessed torrential rains in Uttara Kannada on Monday were Sirsi, Siddapur and Yellapur, as well as parts of Malnad (ghats) area of Uttara Kannada. Many houses were flooded in Kadatoka area of Honnavar taluk and a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had to be deployed to rescue villagers.
As rainwater entered houses at many places in Udupi, people had to be rescued by firefighters in rubber dinghies. The worst affected areas were in Kalsanka, Bailakere, Mathadabettu, Gundibail, Padigaru and Sagri.
In Uttara Kannada, Colonel Hill in Honnavar, a hillock on which one of the area's famous monuments, a British-era column, stands, collapsed at places on National Highway 66.
Orange alert issued in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi until July 11
With heavy rainfall expected according to the Met department, the administration of both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts issued an orange alert in their respective jurisdictions until July 11. An orange alert means very heavy rainfall of 11 cm to 20 cm.
All three districts (Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada) declared a holiday for schools and PU colleges on Monday.
Meanwhile, Uttara Kannada MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Monday visited affected areas in Shashihital and Gunda village and Bhaskeri of Kumta constituency as well as care centres in Honnavar taluk and met the affected people.
Karwar MLA Satish Sail offered 'bagina' (an offering to rivers in spate, a tradition followed in Karnataka) to Kadra reservoir on Monday.