Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru/Udupi
Mangaluru/Udupi, Jul 5: Heavy rain continued across Dakshina Kannada (DK) district on Friday, prompting authorities in Bantwal taluk to declare a holiday for schools and colleges as a precautionary measure.
Several areas in the district experienced artificial flooding due to intense rainfall in the morning, followed by a brief respite before showers picked up again in the evening. Mangaluru city witnessed intermittent yet substantial rainfall throughout the day. Areas such as Puttur, Uppinangady, Bantwal, Sullia, Subrahmanya, Ullal, Surathkal, Vittal, Kanyana, Beltangady, Madanthyar, and Dharmasthala received significant rainfall.
As per data recorded until 8:30 am on July 4, Bantwal taluk received 68.2 mm of rainfall, Belthangady 62.6 mm, Mangaluru 49 mm, Puttur 49 mm, Sullia 61 mm, Moodbidri 36 mm, Kadaba 48.4 mm, Mulki 26.6 mm, and Ullal 40.3 mm — resulting in an average of 56 mm across Dakshina Kannada. The rains caused partial damage to five houses, 55 electric poles, and one transformer. A 15-member SDRF/Civil Defence team has been deployed in Mangaluru, a 10-member team in Subrahmanya, and a 25-member NDRF team in Puttur. A total of 26 boats have been kept ready for emergency response.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for July 5 and 6, warning of continued heavy rainfall and strong winds along the coastal belt. Rough sea conditions are also expected during this period.
In Udupi, heavy rain lashed the region from morning to night on Friday. However, confusion arose over school holidays in some taluks. The IMD initially issued a red alert until Friday morning, later downgrading it to an orange alert. Despite the alert, the district administration did not announce a general holiday for schools. Instead, the responsibility was handed over to tahsildars to make decisions based on local conditions, who in turn delegated the task to Block Education Officers (BEOs).
By the time the BEOs communicated their decisions, many schools had already commenced classes. In light of the worsening weather, some schools declared holidays mid-morning, prioritizing student safety.
Parents expressed concern over the lack of clarity from the district administration. They urged officials to make clear decisions during such conditions to avoid confusion. Declaring holidays in advance would help parents plan better, especially since many drop their children off at school before heading to work, leaving no one at home to care for them in emergencies.
Heavy rainfall was recorded in Udupi, Karkala, Kundapur, Hebri, Brahmavar, Kaup, and Byndoor regions. With the IMD continuing the orange alert for Saturday, more rain is expected in the coming days.