Bhatkal: The coastal districts of Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi in Karnataka have been experiencing continuous rainfall for the past three to four days, causing disruptions in normal life. Several low-lying areas have witnessed floods, and trees and electric poles have been uprooted due to the heavy rains.

In Murdeshwar, a massive tree uprooted near Kannada school, breaking 11KV poles and shutting down around seven transformers. The rain continued on Monday, further affecting normal life in Bhatkal. Many paddy fields have turned into ponds, causing significant hardship for farmers due to flooding.

On Sunday, 133.4 mm of rain was reported, while on Monday, rainfall reached 146 mm. The gusty winds have damaged a few houses as trees fell on them. Reports of trees falling on electric poles and wires also disrupted electricity supply, leading to intermittent power outages on Sunday. The local HESCOM officials reported a total loss of 3.25 lakhs, with 18 poles and two transformers damaged.

The heavy rain also impacted normal life in the upper ghat talukas of Sirsi, Joida, Siddapur, Haliyal, Yellapur, Mundgod, and Dandeli, as well as the coastal talukas of Bhatkal, Honnavar, Kumta, Ankola, and Karwar.

In Joida taluk, three bridges - Kundal, Kaneri, and Lakshmiwada - have been submerged, leading to communication disruptions to villages on the other side. Residents of Kundal, Kuruwali, Nawar, and Ambal villages have been evacuated to safer places using rafting boats. The Kaneri Dam and Lakshmiwada bridge, connecting Castle Rock, have also been submerged, leading to further evacuations.

Castle Rock village in Joida taluk recorded the highest rainfall of 281.6 mm on Sunday.

The administration declared a holiday on Monday for all twelve taluks in the Uttara Kannada district, including schools and pre-university colleges, due to heavy rain. Neighboring districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada also declared holidays in schools and colleges on Monday.

The heavy rain in hilly areas has caused rivers and drains to overflow. The Kali River's water level has risen above the danger mark, impacting dams like Suppa, Kodasalli, and Kadra. As a result, water has been released from the Kadra Dam over the past four days.

In Honnavar, heavy rain has led to water flowing through the Sharavati River, while in Siddapur, water is accumulating in low-lying areas of Hadimbal in the Sharavati belt of Honnavar taluk. Residents in the Sharavati belt are being cautious, and two relief centers have been set up to manage the situation. There are concerns that if the gate of Linganmakki dam and Gersuppa Dam opens and releases water, the region could be at risk of flooding.

In the upper ghat taluk of Sirsi, heavy rains have also been reported, resulting in an increase in the water level of the Agnashni River in Kumta. Residents along the riverbanks in Kumta have been prepared to handle the situation, considering the predictions of further rainfall.

On the Kumta - Sirsi highway, hill soil slipped and fell on the road on Sunday evening near Ragihosalli, causing a government bus to get stuck in the mud. However, the police and forest department officials cleared the road, restoring traffic movement. On Monday morning, there were reports of further soil slipping on the road, causing traffic slowdowns.

A small landslide was also reported in Bilgi in Siddapur taluk, which comes under the Kumta - Siddapur road. A tree also fell on the road, leading to traffic disruptions, but the police and forest officials promptly cleared the road.