Mangalore: Monsoon intensifies - Injuries, fallen trees, floods leave coast battered
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Jun 3: Rain lashed the entire Karnataka coast over the past two days. The city received about seven cm of rain, causing landslides, overflowing drains, and fallen compound walls. It is obvious from the fact that sewage lines have overflowed, and gushing filthy water on the roads is rendering it difficult for the pedestrians to reach their destinations, that the administration has done little to take preemptive steps in advance to handle these situations.
Two workers were injured when an old structure near Clock Tower in the city collapsed due to rain on Monday June 3 morning. They were identified as John (62), a native of Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, and Pawan Kumar (19), a flower vendor. The condition of John is said to be serious. Pawan sustained injuries on his hand when he tried to save John, eyewitnesses said.
Water entered several houses in Pandeshwar Shivanagar in the city, while an old tiled house in Valencia suffered damages after a huge tree got uprooted on it. Because of incessant downpour, an old house near Cascia Church in Morgans Gate in the city owned by Markar Moopa collapsed to the ground. As the family members ran to safety as soon as they heard the wall giving way, no lives were lost in this incident. The loss estimated in this case is six lac rupees, and MLA J R Lobo visited the spot.
After a portion of hill bordering Khyber Pass near P V S Junction suffered landslide a few days ago, the problem has remained unattended. This poses risk to Court Road. Loose soil was found to have spread all over the road on Sunday due to heavy rain.
The people of the city, Puttur, Moodbidri, Mulky, Kinnigoly, Beltangady, Kundapur etc also had to make to with frequent power cuts because of rain. Low-lying areas are flooded, and the normal life of the people is thrown out of gear in these places. Auspicious functions which were scheduled on Sunday faced problems due to continuous rainfall. Fallen trees further complicated the power situation, besides resulting in temporary traffic blocks.
In Kundapur, a huge tree fell on a fish stall belonging to Sheshu, and on a lorry, causing heavy damage. Also, it brought down a high tension electrictity line, which in led to further problems. It is said that usually Seshu opens his stall at 4 am, but on fateful day, he went at 4.45 am as he was not in good health. If he had come at his usual time, he might have suffered injuries.
The meteorological department has predicted normal to good rain in the coast as well as some places in the hinterland during the next two days.
Kundapur
Pics: Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur
