Devastating Floods Trigger Chaos in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada

Torrential rains have caused major rivers in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts to overflow, leading to life-threatening floods. A 56-year-old woman died in Udupi due to a collapsed house wall, while various villages faced severe inundation, prompting extensive rescue operations by local authorities.

Two major rivers in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts are in spate following torrential rains in the past two days, officials reported on Thursday.

The Phalguni river in Dakshina Kannada and Shambhavi in Udupi district were overflowing due to heavy rains. In a tragic incident, a 56-year-old woman passed away after her house partially collapsed in Nellikaru village of Udupi. Prashanth Jain, Nellikaru Village panchayat secretary, said the woman was home alone when a wall gave way. Her children, who were securing the roof, could not prevent the tragedy. Despite being rescued and taken to the hospital, she was declared dead on arrival.

Early on August 1, the Phalguni river saw a rapid rise in water levels, flooding homes in Kadapa, Kariya, and Ammunje villages. Rescue operations, hindered by floating debris, were promptly organized by Tehsildar Archana Bhatt, involving taluk administration and fire brigade personnel. Simultaneously, Mangaluru Electric Supply Company deployed extra staff to clear fallen electric poles and cables.

Continuous rains in Udupi district for the past 72 hours led to unprecedented floods in the Shambhavi River, severely affecting villages. Renjala in Karkala taluk received an overwhelming 319.5 mm of rain, with other areas like Sanur and Madamakki seeing similar downpours. Numerous homes, shops, and coconut trees in Mundkur gram panchayat faced significant damage.

(With inputs from agencies.)