Low pressure in Arabian Sea causes rain in coast

Heavy discharge from Basava Sagar (Narayanpur dam) downstream Krishna has submerged vast tracts of farmland at Mushtalli in Surpur taluk, Yadgir district. (Right) Hundreds of fishing boats are anchored at Karwar coast, following rough sea, on Thursday. DH

Coastal districts are experiencing heavy showers owing to the low-pressure system in East-central Arabian Sea. The situation will only worsen for the next two days as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the low-pressure area is likely to intensify further into a deep depression and subsequently into a cyclonic storm.

Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre has sounded a red alert for Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. The region is likely to receive very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall (above 200 mm in 24 hours).

The IMD has predicted high waves in the range of 3 metres to 3.3 metres for next 24 to 36 hours along the coast from Mangaluru and Karwar. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the rough sea for the next two days.

Coast Guard units have been kept on high alert from Thursday to tackle any eventuality, Coast Guard officers told DH.

Heavy rain is battering the coastal half of Uttara Kannada district since Wednesday night. Intense sea erosion has damaged several shops at Murudeshwara. Three country boats have been damaged at Bhatkal and Devbagh beach in Karwar. Coastal erosion also reported from Uchila Someshwara in Dakshina Kannada district.

Manki recorded a staggering 18 cm of rain in the last 24 hours (ending 8.30 am on Thursday), Shirali and Kollur in Udupi district registered 16 cm each, Karwar 14.8 cm and Honnavar 13.

Meanwhile, rains have subsided in Krishna basin districts bringing down the water level in Krishna, Malaprabha, Tungabhadra, Varada and several streams including Benne Halla. Overflowing Malaprabha and Benne Halla had flooded more than 20 villages in Ron and Naragund taluks.

However, several bridges have still remained inundated in Belagavi, Gadag and Bagalkot districts.

Landslips have been reported in Naragund town, which had experienced torrential rain in the last few days.

Deluge in Yadgir, Raichur

With a whopping 3.5 lakh cusec water being discharged downstream from Basava Sagara (Narayanapur), standing crops on more than 400 hectares in Yadgir district alone have been damaged. Similarly, the vast tracts of rabi crop have been flooded in Raichur district.

Gurjapur bridge-cum-barrage, Huvinahedagi and Sheelahalli bridges in Lingasugur taluks are still under water.

The district administration has sent 27 BSF personnel to Devadurg to help local administration in shifting the people from deluge-hit villages to safety.

Heavy showers continued to batter many parts of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts on Thursday.