6 killed in landslides as rain lashes parts of Karnataka

“Take measures to restore road connectivity in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts. Conduct an immediate joint survey of houses destroyed. In areas prone to landslides, shift the people to safer places,” according to a statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO), attributing it to Basavaraj Bommai.

At least six people lost their lives in landslides in the coastal districts on Tuesday, taking the total death toll of rain-related incidents to 59 since June 1, the Karnataka government said.

At least six people lost their lives in landslides in the coastal districts on Tuesday, taking the total death toll of rain-related incidents to 59 since June 1, the Karnataka government said. (AFP)

Four members of the same family were killed in Muttalli of Bhatkal taluka in Uttara Kannada district after a portion of a hillock collapsed on the family’s home.

In another incident reported from Subramanya in Dakshina Kannada, two sisters were found dead after a portion of a hill collapsed on their home. The sisters were aged 11 and six, PTI reported.

“Take measures to restore road connectivity in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts. Conduct an immediate joint survey of houses destroyed. In areas prone to landslides, shift the people to safer places,” according to a statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO), attributing it to Basavaraj Bommai.

The deaths added to the increasing toll in Karnataka, which has been at the receiving end of heavy rains.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday held a meeting to take stock of the rains.

So far, heavy rains have claimed the lives of 59 humans and 371 animals since June 1, with at least 39 human lives and 99 animals lost in just 11 out of the 31 districts in the state, according to the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).

The 11 districts, which include the coast, Malnad and others, have been the worst hit where 3,499 hectares of agricultural crops and 2,057 hectares of horticultural crops have been destroyed in these 11 districts since June 1.

Across the state, over 20,266 hectares of crops have been destroyed, according to the KSDMA which has heaped hardships on the state’s farming community.

Karnataka has fluctuated between floods and droughts every year, causing thousands of crores in losses to the coffers and making life that much more difficult for its farmers, who have been demanding compensation from the government.

Bommai said that heavy rains in several parts of Karnataka had added to the pain of people and that district official were instructed to do the needful to provide relief and shelter for those impacted by the downpour.

Social media and Kannada TV channels played videos of heavy rains from across the state, with several visuals of people trying to cross flooded streets, and bridges, and remove water from their homes and other places.

Over 8,057 people have been evacuated from across the state in various districts since June 1 and at least 61 relief camps have been opened and operational in different parts.

There are four National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) teams deployed in Kodagu, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada and Raichur districts and one such team stationed in Bengaluru.

There are just as many teams from the state disaster relief force (SDRF) in Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, according to KSDMA.

In just the last 24 hours, at least 14 stations across the three coastal districts of Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have recorded over 200 mm of rainfall, according to KSDMA inputs.

There have been 11 districts each that have received rainfall classified as large excess and excess while only nine districts have had normal rains from the beginning of June 1 till Tuesday.

“Widespread moderate to heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places, extremely heavy rains likely over state till 05th/06th August 2022,” according to the forecast for the next 10 days, indicating extremely wet conditions.

The water levels at all major dams across Karnataka are nearly full with heavy inflow, data shows.

Districts like Belagavi, Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Davengere, Hassan, Kodagu, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Tumakuru, Udupi and Uttara Kannada have borne the brunt of the rains.

Various parts of Bengaluru were inundated with heavy rains on Tuesday evening, bringing traffic to a standstill and motorists either stuck in endless traffic jams or seeking shelter under bus stops and bridges.

“Generally cloudy sky. Rain/thundershowers are very likely. Maximum and Minimum temperatures are very likely to be around 29 and 20 Degree Celsius respectively,” according to the weather authorities in its forecast for the next 24 hours, which is likely to continue up to 48 hours.