Udupi: Udyavar River Floods – Residents of 600 Houses Shifted to Safety
News: Hemanath Padubidri
Pics: Dr Eugene D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SB)
Udupi, Jul 30: In the worst flood that has hit the coastal district in the past ten years, as many as 600 houses have been inundated in Udyavar surroundings here threatening to submerge on Friday July 30 with rains reigning from past three days.
Water has been rushing through the houses at places such as Udyavar, Pitrody, Bolje, Ankudru and Matadakudru on the banks of river Udyavar that is brimming due to lashing rains from the last few days. The local residents informed that the enormity of the flood increased at about 1.00 am and has been rising only further. As per instructions from the deputy commissioner (DC) P Hemaltha the operations to evacuate the residents of the area to a safer destination has begun, but has been facing hurdles due to unwilling dwellers.
DC along with tahsildar Prasanna and Home Guards commandant Ganapati Bhat among others visited the spot. The village committee members as well as BJP and Congress members at the spot are into convincing the villagers to shift. Boats to help shift evacuees has been arranged with arrangements for temporary stay being made at local Billavara Sangha building wherein conji centre too has been set up.
It is gathered that water rushed through former MLA Vasant Salian’s house situated in the area. Floods have also been reported at Uppur here.
Udupi: Massive Flood in 15 Years Inundates Paddy Fields, Disrupts Transport
Spot Report and Pics: Dr Eugene D’Souza, Moodubelle
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SB)
Udupi, Jul 30: This is the most massive flood ever in recent memory in the Belle-Udyavara river and has practically submerged the paddy fields and disrupted transport of passengers and goods between two sides of the river.
According to those who live by the river side, this is the largest flood since around fifteen years.
The incessant rains throughout this week, especially on Thursday July 29 and the night following has led to the swelling of the river, thus flooding the paddy fields and other regions presenting a huge lake-like scenario all around.
The heavy rains on Thursday July 29 left the low-lying areas marked with paddy fields that got filled with overflowing river water. It inundated with only upper end of the paddy saplings been seen as if just sprouting from the bed of water. It looked like a ‘small flood’. However, the heavy rains followed the night of July 29 and on Friday July 30 too.
The bridge that connects Moodubelle and Padubelle was filled with overflowing water on Friday and the sole bus that has been plying across the bridge had suspended its services and people travelling by cars or bikes had to beat a quick retreat. However, some cyclists were pushing their vehicles as the flood waters would not cause damage to these cycles.
Many of the houses near the river have turned into islands as the residents neither could come out nor go in the houses without wading through waist deep flood waters. Few others were trying to salvage their coconuts from being washed out.