Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jun 12: Heavy rain has been pounding Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Kodagu districts incessantly since the last two days. Normal life has been thrown out of gear in several places, particularly those which are located at low-lying areas.

Harish from Bavaladi near Bijoor, Byndoor in the tlauk, who slipped into a stream when grazing his cows, was washed away on Sunday June 11. Ottinene on national highway in the taluk, where traffic had come to a standstill after the hillocks there suffered landslide recently, witnessed another incident of caving in at around 4 am on Sunday. With this fresh incident, traffic on national highway 66 was blocked for about five hours. Vehicles were then directed to take alternate route which passes via Dombe and Maddodi.

 Ottinene

The authorities, it transpires, had not taken the warning issued by the assistant commissioner here, Shilpa Nag, to take steps to avert further landslides and make alternative routes worthy of use by vehicles. She had told the firm executing highway widening work in no uncertain words that roadblock should never recur. The alternative road is not good enough for use by heavy vehicles and therefore, most of the vehicles are taking risks and moving on the same road slowly, negotiating muddy terrain with difficulty.

Byndoor MLA K Gopal Poojary visited the spot and took the officials to task. He warned the department officials that they would be held accountable in case of loss of lives. He also felt that the MP representing the region should take responsibility as the highway department falls under union government. He was accompanied by circle inspector, Raghava Padil, Byndoor station house officer, D Santosh Anand Kaykini, IRB project manager, Yogendrappa, and Byndoor special tahsildar, Kiran Gowrayya among others.

Heavy rain gave rise to artificial flood in the city and several other places. Concrete protective walls at Urundadigudda in Panjimogaru and Babugudde, Attavar, crashed to the ground but no one was hurt. In the incident at Urundadigudda, a house was damaged while another house faces the risk of suffering damage. City mayor, Kavita Sunil, and MLA, B A Mohiuddin Bava, visited spots that were adversely affected by rain and instructed officials to take suitable steps.

Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner, Dr K G Jagadeesh, said that the district administration is in preparedness to handle any rain-related catastrophes including floods.

After a tree got uprooted on Sunday, a shop belonging to Ismail, which was opened two months back, was damaged. Artificial flood was noticed at the circle near Karavali bypass where over bridge work is on.

The meteorological department has predicted good rainfall during the next two days with chances of heavy rain in a few places on Monday. It also has warned of possibility of strong wind blowing in a few places. The department has specifically warned people living in low-lying areas to be careful. The fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.