Five dead amid heavy rain in K'taka, cities inundated

Bengaluru: Five people have lost their lives due to rain related tragedies in different regions of Karnataka as heavy rain threw life out of gear and flood water inundated the residential areas of Kushalnagar and Belagavi cities.

More than 10 districts of the state have been affected by the heavy rain.

Mallappa Sharanappa Karepanor (25) was washed away while crossing a stream. He was a resident of Dhannura (R) village in Basavakalyan Taluk in Bidar district, and search is still on for him.

Manjunatha Basavaraja Anandi (27) was washed away in the Tungabhadra River while trying to clean his hands on the banks. The incident took place near Makanuru village in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district.

Basamma (40), a resident of Biral (B) village in Jewargi taluk of Kalaburgi district died on the spot after house collapse due to incessant rain.

Manikantha Manjunatha Naik (17) was washed away while attempting to swim in the Ramatheertha River near Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district.

The authorities have warned the people not to go near water bodies which are flowing above danger levels.

Sharat Kumar (23) died while watching the Arasinagundi waterfall in Udupi district. The video of the youth losing his balance and being taken away by the river went viral. The authorities are still searching for his body.

All these incidents have taken place in the last 24 hours.

Due to heavy rainfall in the Kaveri catchment area, water has inundated Sai locality in Kushalnagar city in Kodagu district as additional water from the Harangi dam was released. The people have been shifted to safer places.

The Kodagu district has received 118 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours.

The authorities have declared a holiday for the schools and colleges on Tuesday.

A family of six persons had a miraculous escape as they managed to come out of their house moments before it collapsed. The incident was reported from Vijayapura colony near Mulki in Dakshina Kannada district. The rain was lashing Shivamogga and Chikkamagalur districts.

Many regions in Belagavi district were inundated due to heavy rain in the Western Ghats. In Chikkodi region of the district many villages waterlogged and people visited temples and offered prayers in chest level waters. The photos have gone viral on social media. Many localities of Belagavi city are also waterlogged.

Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Bhyregowda stated on Monday that a high alert has been issued for the week ahead in the state in the backdrop of heavy rain and the district commissioners have been asked to be in a state of preparedness, he said.

Bhyregowda stated after chairing a meeting with top officials, 27 persons have lost their lives due to tragedies occurring in the backdrop of heavy rain. One relief camp has been opened up in Dakshina Kannada and three have been opened in Uttara Kannada district, the minister said.

Among the 27 dead, eight of them have died due to thunder strikes, many have slipped into the river streams. He further stated that he will take up the tour in the state to assess the situation due to rainfall.

"We are in constant touch with all district authorities and getting information on the rainfall. They need to be on high alert mode in the coming week. The Monsoon rain is going to lash heavily in the coming days. The coastal and Belagavi regions are going to receive heavy rain. The north Karnataka districts of Bidar, Yadgir, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi will also receive additional rainfall," he said.