Incessant rains have claimed the lives of eight people since Monday across Karnataka in Coastal and North Karnataka districts. A total of 491 persons have been evacuated from their residences so far across the State. Widespread moderate to heavy rainfall is likely over the State till August 6.
Bengaluru saw incessant rains on Monday and Tuesday, leading to flooding of roads and inundation of some low-lying areas. Tuesday night’s rain resulted in traffic gridlocks in Central Business District (CBD) and on arterial roads.
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), Bengaluru received 26.23 mm of rainfall between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert that city might receive heavy rainfall on Wednesday too.
Four of family buried alive
Tragic struck a family in Uttara Kannada district on Tuesday when four persons were buried alive as a portion of a hillock collapsed on a house downhill at Muttalli village in Bhatkal taluk. The deceased have been identified as Laxminarayan Nayak (58), his daughter Laxmi Nayak (33), son Anantnarayan Nayak (32) and relative Praveen Balakrishna Nayak (20).
Deaths were reported from Vijayanagar and Ballari districts in rain-related incidents. Unchatti Bommappa (62), a farmer from G. Nagalapur village in Hospet taluk was washed away when he was crossing an overflowing stream. Krishnakumar (51), an employee of Sandur Manganese and Iron Ores Ltd, was washed away in a stream near Ankamanal village when he was attempting to cross it on his bike.
On Monday night, two children were killed in a landslip at Parvatamukhi near Kukke Subrahmanya in Dakshina Kannada. Police gave their names as Shruthi (11), a class V student, and Jnanashree (6), a class II student. They were killed when a portion of a hill collapsed on their house.
The meteorological department has issued a red alert in Dakshina Kannada till August 5. Holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in Sullia and Kadaba taluks on August 3. Devotees have been advised not to visit Kukke Subrahmanya over the next two days owing to the rain situation. NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed in coastal districts for undertaking rescue operations.
Between June 1 and August 2, as many as 11 districts received large excess rainfall, 11 districts received excess rainfall, while nine districts received normal rains, according to Manoj Rajan, Commissioner for Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority.
CM review
In the wake of heavy downpour in different regions of Karnataka leading to extensive damage, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday held a videoconference with officials of 11 districts and instructed them to undertake rescue and relief operations.
Mr. Bommai reviewed the rain situation with deputy commissioners of Belagavi, Chikmagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Hassan, Kodagu, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.
In Bengaluru
In Bengaluru, a BBMP official from the control room said that a tree was uprooted in Jayanagar T Block and Jeevan Bima Nagar in the city, but no casualties were reported.
“We have received complaints from K.R. Puram, Bommanahalli, HBR Layout, Ramamurthi Nagar and Hebbal, where water entered a few homes as drains overflowed,” the official said.
According to Bengaluru Traffic Police, traffic snarls were reported in Outer Ring Road, Hebbal, Yelahanka, Tumakuru Road, Mysuru Road, Yeshwanthpur, Bannerghatta Road, Hosur road, Bellandur, HSR layout, and Kanakapura Road.
