KARWAR/BENGALURU: With Cyclone Nisarga hitting the Uttara Kannada coast on Tuesday, the towns of Karwar, Ankola, Kumta and Honnavar received heavy rainfall. Gusty winds tore through the coastal towns, as the sea too turned violent with rough waves smashing the shore.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an alert, predicting thundershowers and heavy rainfall over north interior Karnataka, coastal Dakshina Kannada and Udupi over the next three days. The alert was issued with the advancement of Nisarga from east-central Arabian Sea to north Maharashtra, and adjoining south Gujarat coast. “Though it does not cover Karnataka, the range of cyclonic winds is very big and reaches north interior Karnataka also.
So an alert has been called out,” CS Patil, director in-charge, IMD, Bengaluru, told TNIE. The weather department has forecast a severe cyclonic storm and then a depression. Patil said formation of systems is a common factor before the onset of the monsoon and they help in its advancement. “Cyclone Nisarga is helping in the quick advancement of the southwest monsoon to Karnataka, and the monsoon is likely to arrive before the scheduled date as conditions are favourable.
Due to the cyclone and pre-monsoon showers, coastal Karnataka has been experiencing good rainfall,” he added. Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea. “We are not taking our boats into the sea now. We have been warned by local officials,” Chetan Harikantha, a local fisherman, told TNIE. Beaches in the district, too, wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors. Farmers who had started pre-monsoon activities were happy with the rainfall. The Centre has issued an alert to all states to take stock and ensure that no untoward incidents occur. The state government has also alerted the disaster management cell.