Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SP)

Beltangady, Jun 15: Incessant rainfall coupled with lightning and strong wind has heaped miseries on three taluks in Dakshina Kannada, Beltangady, Puttur and Bantwal. All the rivers, rivulets and streams in these taluks are in spate. Landslides and fallen trees have been a common sight.

The rain that pounded Beltangady taluk on Wednesday June 13 night caused several houses to crash to the ground. Six houses are facing the prospects of getting water-locked. As drains by the side of state and national highways have not been cleared, knee-deep water could be seen flowing in Guruvayanakere, Ujire, and Venoor downtowns. Two houses collapsed to the ground in Indabettu village while a hilltop crashed onto two houses in Laila village. In this area, earth caved in near a few residences.

A number of roads have been blocked. National highway has been covered under standing water near Buntara Bhavana, Guruvayanakere. Families living in six houses standing on the bank of Somavathi rivulet were shifted to safer places. River Phalguni also experienced flood as a result of which rising level of water inundated roads and entered a number of low-lying areas.

Train services between Mangaluru and Bengaluru, which had been suspended since some days due to landslide between Subramanya and Shiribagilu remained suspended till Thursday evening. The railway officials said that the services would resume since Thursday night as heaps of mud were removed from the tracks.

The meteorological department has predicted heavy rains to continue in coastal Karnataka on account of southwest monsoon winds, till June 16. During this period, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu districts are slated to get heavy rainfall. The coastal region might be pounded by rain again from June 17 to 19. The department has also warned fishermen against venturing into the sea as wind with a velocity of 55 km per hour is likely to blow.