Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 7: While many village roads and the state highway stretch between Karkala and Hebri turned into virtual pools due to the heavy rains the coast has been experiencing since the last several days, two people lost lives to the floods. Most of the coastal places received between 15 and 25 cms of rain.

Shiva (23) from Holenarasipur was washed away due to the flash floods in Gundia rivulet. He was one among a team of 10 labourers working on the drain repair works on Shiradi Ghat road. The group had gone to the rivulet to have bath on Sunday July 5 evening. As the water level in the rivulet swelled suddenly, Shiva, who was standing on the banks, was swept away. Others ran to safety.

Rifad (7), a student, was playing near the agricultural fields when he slipped and fell into the water-filled fields and lost his life on Monday July 6 afternoon. As his school had declared a holiday, the boy was playing in the fields behind his house near Kallapu mosque in Ullal.

Frequent power disruptions have been a common feature of the coastal districts. Uprooted electric poles and flooding rivulets blocked traffic at several roads. Water entered a number of houses. MLA N Yogish Bhat and officials of the City Corporation visited several low-lying areas within the city limits and supervised rescue operations.  The water level in Netravati and Kumaradhara river confluence at Uppianangady has reached a level of 20 ft, as against the danger level of 26.5 ft. Subrahmanya-Kadaba-Uppinangady traffic remains suspended as the Hosmutt Bridge continues to be under water.

Several schools in the twin-districts declared a two-day holiday.  The deputy director of the public instruction said that the schools in Mangalore, Bantwal, Puttur taluk and Moodbidri block would remain closed on July 6 and 7 while the schools in Beltangady taluk will have holidays on July 7 and 8. The teachers however, have been instructed to come to their duties and attend to other academic duties.  All the schools in Udupi district too also have been given holiday on July 7 and 8.

Because of a pit dug for the underground drainage works at Padil on national highway 48 near the city, the traffic between the city and Bantwal remained suspended for three hours on Monday July 6 morning.