Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi
Mangaluru/Udupi, May 22: With a red alert was issued across Dakshina Kannada (DK) and Udupi districts on Wednesday, Dakshina Kannada experienced intense rainfall, Udupi district received less than the anticipated amount. Some areas in Udupi saw light showers in the morning and improved rainfall post-noon. The day remained largely overcast, and some areas reported damage to houses and crops.
Dakshina Kannada continued to receive heavy rainfall. Rains were intermittent throughout the day, leading to artificial flooding in some places. A few houses sustained damage. The rain that began late at night intensified by 9 am, eased slightly around noon, and picked up again in the evening.
Artificial flooding was reported on some roads in Mangaluru. In Bantwal taluk, houses were damaged in Pudu and Meramajalu villages. In Beltangady taluk, a compound wall of the Charmadi Thodattadi government school collapsed. Another wall collapsed near a house in Padangadi. A tree fell on the road near Dharmasthala, disrupting traffic temporarily. In Puttur taluk, a house was damaged near Kavu. Three houses in Ullal limits sustained minor damage. In Bondanthila village under Neermarga GP limits, a compound wall collapse led to house damage.
Alongside strong winds and heavy rain, sea waves also intensified. In the past 24 hours, two houses were completely damaged and three houses partially damaged. A transformer, 60 electric poles, and three km of electric cables were affected. For precautionary measures, 25 SDRF personnel and 26 boats have been kept on standby.
In Karmar of Pudu village, a tree fell on the house of Safia Shameer, causing cracks in the wall. In Meramajalu, soil erosion behind the house of Chandravati led to damage as earth collapsed onto the wall.
Meanwhile, highway construction work in Mani and Kalladka led to traffic issues due to muddy roads. In Kalladka, poor conditions on the service road caused slow-moving traffic and minor jams. Despite continuous rains, the water level in the Netravati River has not shown significant changes.
On May 21, Dakshina Kannada received 61.8 mm of rainfall, compared to the average of 6.4 mm. Rainfall details by region include: Beltangady – 60.4 mm, Bantwal – 65.8 mm, Mangaluru – 86.5 mm, Puttur – 48.1 mm, Sullia – 48.4 mm, Moodbidri – 90.9 mm, Kadaba – 48.6 mm, Mulki – 96 mm, and Ullal – 88.9 mm.
Due to the heavy rains, temperatures in Dakshina Kannada saw a sharp decline. On Wednesday, Mangaluru recorded a maximum temperature of 26.9°C, which is 6.4°C below normal, and a minimum of 23.4°C, which is 1.6°C below normal.
Despite a red alert, Udupi district did not receive the expected volume of rainfall. However, areas such as Kundapur and Byndoor experienced good rainfall in the afternoon. Udupi, Karkala, Kaup, and Brahmavar witnessed light morning showers followed by a cloudy atmosphere.
At Gudibettu in Amparu, a tree fell on a cattle shed, causing damage. Tuesday’s rains led to partial damage to houses in Kundapur and Brahmavar taluks. Arecanut plantations in 74 Ullur village in Kundapur taluk also suffered damage.
Rainfall measurements in various areas were: Karkala – 80.9 mm, Kundapur – 104 mm, Udupi – 145.7 mm, Byndoor – 104.1 mm, Brahmavar – 152.5 mm, Kaup – 96.5 mm, Hebri – 79.3 mm.
The Indian Meteorological Department has issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts from May 22 to 27, predicting heavy rain and strong winds during this period.