Monsoon moves northward, hits Karnataka coast

Monsoon finally hit Karnataka’s coastal region after a delay of more than a week with moderate to heavy rains lashing different places ...

Monsoon finally hit Karnataka’s coastal region after a delay of more than a week with moderate to heavy rains lashing different places in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts during the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, a puja conducted in Bellary for rains resulted in the death of a person.

Mangalore experienced continuous rains accompanied by thunder and lightning for more than three hours this morning, allaying fears of an extended dry spell. There was a substantial drop in temperature as well.

Sources said, Mangalore recorded 10 mm of rainfall on Tuesday and eight mm on Sunday. Puttur, Sullia and Bantwal taluks received less rainfall ranging between four to six mm.

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However, water level in Thumbay dam, 20 km away, remained alarmingly low. The dam, constructed across Nethravathi River, is yet to receive its usual quota of inflow from the river while the rainfall in and around Thumbay has also been quite scanty. So far there has been no rainfall in the catchment areas of Nethravathi. Mangalore City Corporation (MCC), which distributes water, is silent about withdrawal of water-rationing and reverting to daily supply.

Incidents of wall collapse following the rains were reported from two places in Mangalore. Portions of a recently-constructed compound wall in Mangala Stadium near Lady Hill and Mallya Indoor Stadium near Lalbagh have collapsed. But the damage is attributed more to poor quality of work than the impact of rains.

Udupi and neighbouring districts also experienced heavy rains during the last 24 hours. Udupi received 9.2 mm and Kundapur 5 mm while Karkala received a maximum rainfall of 16.6 mm.

Puja for rains at Srinivasapura Camp under Kurugodu police station limits in Bellary resulted in a stampede killing a native of Sanapura village.