Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy ordered collectors of five districts to remain on high alert as heavy rainfall lashed the state on Wednesday, reported ANI. He also urged the district in-charge ministers of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Shivamogga to review the situation.
In its weather advisory, the Bengaluru division of the India Meteorological Department said, “Due to the southwest monsoon being rigorous over the coastal and south interior districts, exceptionally heavy to very heavy rainfall was received in the region.” Officials said this led to the suspension of train and bus services, reported IANS. In Mysuru, rescue operations were started in the flood-hit areas of the city, reported ANI.
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, the coastal district of Udupi received the maximum rainfall, 35.7 cm, over the past 24 hours. The other coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada saw a maximum of 33.8 cm and Uttara Kannada received 33.6 cm. The south interior districts of Kodagu experienced 28.8 cm, Chikkamagaluru 25.1 cm, Hassan 24.5 cm, and Shivamogga 33.6 cm. Heavy rains are likely to continue for the next two days.
The IMD has also advised fishermen to not go out into the sea. “Due to strong winds along the Karnataka coast, sea condition is likely to be rough in the southwest and central Arabian sea,” it said.
Bus services were affected after heavy landslides in different parts of the state, reported IANS. “All premium bus services from Bengaluru towards Mangaluru, Dharmasthala [in Dakshina Kannada district], and Kundapura [in Udupi district] have been cancelled due to landslides,” said the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation in a statement.
The KSRTC has also suspended bus services from Bengaluru to Kerala’s Kannur, Kozhikode and Kasaragod districts. The IMD on Wednesday issued a fresh red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall for eight districts of Kerala for the next 24 hours.
The South Western Railway on Wednesday said that trains were either partially cancelled and diverted. Among those partially cancelled were the Karwar-Yesvantpur Express between Mangaluru and Yesvantpur, and the Yesvantpur-Mangaluru Express between Hassan and Mangaluru.
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