Karnataka rains: Schools in 6 districts closed as heavy downpour wreaks havoc

Heavy monsoon rains in Karnataka have caused widespread chaos, prompting school and college closures across six districts. Uttara Kannada alone saw over 50 houses submerged and 40 residents relocated. Rivers like Tunga and Bhadra are swelling, raising flood concerns. Landslides and road closures have disrupted transportation, while dam inflows necessitate controlled releases.

Heavy monsoon rains have unleashed chaos across several districts of Karnataka, prompting authorities to declare a holiday for schools and colleges in six districts. The incessant rainfall since Sunday night has submerged over 50 houses in Uttara Kannada alone, forcing more than 40 residents to seek refuge in care centres. Similar scenes of devastation unfolded in Udupi, Kodagu, and Chikkamagaluru, where more than 70 to 80 houses suffered damages.

The situation remains precarious with multiple rivers—including Tunga, Bhadra, Kumaradhara, and Aghanashini—swelling to dangerous levels, raising concerns of imminent floods in coastal areas. In response to the forecast of continued heavy rains, educational institutions in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu, Shimoga, and select taluks of Hassan will remain closed on Tuesday.

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In Uttara Kannada's Karwar and Kumta regions, low-lying areas have been inundated, displacing residents and disrupting normal life. "The current spell of rainfall has triggered landslides, adding to the woes," stated local authorities. In Kodagu, the iconic Kappeshankar Temple along the banks of the Tungabhadra River was submerged, while in Shimoga, severe winds and rainfall damaged several houses in Hosanagar.

The impact of the downpour has also been felt on transportation networks, with fallen trees obstructing roads in rural areas. Sections of major highways, including the Honnavar-Bengaluru and Sringeri National Highway 169, faced temporary closures due to landslides, affecting traffic flow.

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Moreover, the inflow into several dams, including Harangi, KRS, and Linganamakki, has surged significantly following the recent rainfall. Authorities reported inflows of 16,041 cusecs into the Bhadra reservoir and 45,115 cusecs into Linganamakki, necessitating controlled releases to manage water levels downstream.

In coastal regions, train services along the Konkan route were severely disrupted, with cancellations spanning over 14 hours due to landslides triggered by heavy rains in Maharashtra and Goa.