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Karnataka rains: After Agumbe landslide, schools, anganawadis shut in Udupi
Authorities in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi were pushed to declare another holiday for schools and anganawadis on Monday in the wake of unprecedented rains.
As heavy rainfall continued to batter Karnataka's coastline, the deputy commissioners of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, as a precautionary measure, have declared a holiday for all schools and anganwadis on Monday. However, pre-university, degree and professional colleges will be open.
IAS officer Kurma Rao M, the deputy commissioner of Udupi, shared the government order declaring a holiday for schools in the district on Twitter. Rao also shared the order banning heavy vehicular movement on the national highway 169A after the landslide in Agumbe Ghat on Sunday.
"Here is the order issued to restrict heavy vehicular traffic due to landslide at Agumbe Ghati, on turn 11 of National Highway 169A. Vehicles will be diverted through an alternative route," he wrote on Twitter.
The landslide, unlike the one in Dakshina Kannada that took three lives, was not fatal. However, it blocked the road that connects Shivamooga to Hebri. Travellers on the path could take the Thirthahalli-Koppa-Sringeri-Karkala-Mangalore route or Thirthahalli-Agumbe-Sringeri-Karkala, or Thirthahalli-Mastikatte-Kundapura routes, the order stated. Agumbe recorded 164.5 mm of rainfall on Saturday, the highest rainfall recorded in Shivamogga district.
Rains wreaked havoc in coastal districts, pushing authorities to keep relief packages and emergency response teams ready.
“ ₹735 crore has been made available with the deputy commissioners to take up rescue and relief operations. More rains have been forecast over the next three to four days and precautionary measures need to be taken to prevent any loss of life and property,” The Indian Express quoted chief minister Basavaraj Bommai as saying.
As many as 12 people have lost their lives in the state owing to rains and unprecedented weather conditions in the last month.
Udupi district's deputy commissioner on Sunday took to Twitter to share images of authorities visiting rain-affected areas and providing residents with provisions.
Superintendent of police, Karnataka government Railway Police, Siri Gowri shared an image of her colleagues working amid heavy rains in Belgaum. "Castle rock railway police outpost and further on the railway tracks - my colleagues from Belgaum and…. pouring rain," she wrote.
Meanwhile, Bengaluru weather is also estimated to stay chilly for the next four to five days, the Met department said. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 25 and 20 degrees Celsius respectively.
