Bhatkal: Following the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) declaration of a red alert across coastal Karnataka and the Malnad districts, including Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada, heavy rain continued on Tuesday. Reports indicate landslides in various areas, with highways turning into ponds.

The road from Honnavar to Bangalore has been closed due to heavy rain. Travelers from Bhatkal to Goa Airport report their cars stuck on the Kumta, Ankola, and Karwar highway due to landslides and waterlogging.

Seven people, including five members of the same family, are reported to have died in a landslide on National Highway 66 near Shirur in Ankola taluk. An LPG tanker parked by the roadside was also swept into the adjacent Gangavali river.

The landslide blocked the road between Ankola and Kumta, prompting authorities to begin rescue operations. The five people buried in the debris have been identified as Laxman Naik (47), Shanti Naik (55), Avantika (6), Roshan (11), and Jagannath (55), all from the same family. The driver and cleaner of the tanker are also suspected to have died.

Local people blame the landslide on the large-scale excavation of mountains by the IRB contractor company for the four-lane expansion of National Highway 66.

Another landslide near Devi Mane on the Kumta-Sirsi highway has stopped vehicle movement. Similar incidents near Kadwaad and Mandrali on the way to Kaiga in Karwar taluk have also halted traffic.

The Honnavar-Bangalore highway has also seen landslides and closures. In Kumta, heavy rains have trapped people in several areas, and efforts are underway to relocate them to safer places. Many villages in Karwar are submerged due to heavy rain. On Monday night, heavy rain in Bhatkal caused water accumulation on the Ranginkutta National Highway, disrupting traffic.

In Valki and Hadinbal of Honnavar taluk, the Sharavati river has overflowed, seeping into villages and homes. The Bangalore highway faces roadblocks due to fallen trees at Uppani and landslides at Kurva Cross and Bhaskeri Cross. Crews are working to clear the roads, and people stuck in their houses are being relocated using water boats.

Buses from Bhatkal to Bangalore on Monday night returned to Bhatkal due to roadblocks caused by incessant rains.

Heavy rains continue in coastal Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district and neighboring Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts, causing widespread flooding. In Udupi, floods have inundated low-lying areas and roads. The rapid rise in river levels has turned roads into ponds, and the Hebri-Agumbe road has been temporarily closed. Travelers from Udupi to Shimoga are advised to take alternative routes.

Rainwater intrusion at Uppoor Government School in Udupi turned the school ground into a pond, prompting the school management to move books, documents, electronic items, and other materials to safety.

Heavy rain in Shimoga and Chikkamagaluru has caused rivers in low-lying areas to overflow, seeping into roads and residential areas.

In the hilly Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, heavy rain led to the closure of the Kumaradhara bathing ghat at Kukke Subrahmanya. The Kumaradhara dam has reached full capacity, prompting cautionary advice against river entry for devotees. Persistent rainfall has caused the Kumaradhara river and its tributaries to overflow, with security personnel and lifeguards stationed along the banks.

For more photos of today's rain in Uttara Kannada, click here: