Heavy Rainfall Disrupts Daily Life in Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada

Mangaluru: Torrential rains battered Dakshina Kannada district on Monday, significantly disrupting daily routines in Mangaluru city and surrounding areas. The persistent downpour caused widespread flooding, damaging roads across the district and in the city. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for May 28, forecasting extremely heavy rainfall exceeding 20 cm in 24 hours, following an orange alert for May 27 and 29.

Floodwaters inundated multiple roads in Mangaluru, including those in Kodialbail ward, due to inadequate stormwater drainage systems. At Wenlock District Hospital in Hampankatta, a compound wall near an autorickshaw stand collapsed under the force of the heavy rain. MLC Ivan D’Souza, who inspected the site, instructed officials to take immediate action to address the damage.

In Kalladka, along the Mangaluru-Bengaluru national highway, a viral video highlighted hazardous conditions on a service road beneath an under-construction flyover, where water cascaded onto passing vehicles. At Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, authorities barred devotees from accessing the ‘snana ghatta’ (bathing area) due to overflowing waters from the Kumaradhara River.

To mitigate the crisis, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were deployed across Dakshina Kannada, while local bodies, gram panchayats, and Mescom staff worked on-site to address rain-related damages. In response to the severe weather, Dr. Anandh K, the district’s in-charge deputy commissioner and chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority, declared holidays for all anganwadis, primary and high schools, and PU colleges, both government and private, on May 27 and 28.

In neighboring Udupi district, heavy rainfall also caused significant disruptions. Continuous downpours in Karkala led to waterlogged roads in Mooru Marga and Jodu Rasthe due to poor drainage infrastructure, briefly halting traffic on Monday morning. In Kukkundoor, artificial flooding impacted over 20 residences, underscoring the region’s vulnerability to heavy rains.