The Phalguni river in Dakshina Kannada and the Shambhavi river in Udupi district are currently overflowing due to torrential rains that have been pouring down over the past two days in coastal Karnataka , officials said on Thursday.
A 56-year-old woman lost her life when her house partially collapsed in Nellikaru village, Udupi district, due to heavy rainfall. According to Prashanth Jain, secretary of Nellikaru Village panchayat, the woman was alone at home when a wall collapsed, while her three children were outside attempting to fix a leaky roof. She was rescued from the rubble and rushed to the hospital, where she was declared dead in the early hours of Thursday.
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On August 1, the Phalguni River experienced a sudden surge in water levels, leading to flooding in at least eight houses in Kadapa and Kariya villages. The river’s waters also breached the homes of eight families in Ammunje village near Polali.
Rescue efforts are underway with the assistance of the taluk administration and fire brigade, under the direction of Tehsildar Archana Bhatt. Tehsildar Bhatt reported that floating heaps of garbage have impeded the rescue operations. Additionally, the Mangaluru Electric Supply Company has dispatched extra personnel to address the fallen electric poles and cables in the affected areas.
In Udupi district, continuous rain for the past 72 hours has caused significant flooding. On June 31, Karkala taluk experienced heavy rainfall, resulting in the overflow of several rivers, including the Shambavi.
In the 24 hours ending at 8:30 am on Thursday, the Renjala area in Karkala taluk, located at the foothills of the Western Ghats, recorded 319.5 mm of rainfall. Other notable measurements included 289.5 mm in Sanur (Karkala), 278.5 mm in Madamakki (Kundapur), and 269 mm in Shirtadi.
The Shambhavi River, which flows from Sanur through Nitte, Bola, and Mundkur villages, has experienced severe flooding, with many houses, shops, and small industries submerged. The homes of Mundkur gram panchayat members Ashok Shetty, Suresh Shetty, and Bhaskara Shetty were destroyed in the floods. Additionally, over a thousand coconut trees have been uprooted, according to Panchayat officials.