Pics: Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 15: Heavy downpour continuing in coastal Karnataka has been inflicting loss in terms of lives and property. Three from the coast lost their lives in separate incidents on Monday July 14.

Shekhar Poojary (45), a labourer and resident of B Casba village near Bantwal slipped into river Netravati when he was washing his legs on Monday. He was washed away in the flood water. Although locals jumped into action and rescued him apart from shifting him to a private hospital in B C Road, he was declared brought dead. Poojary has left behind wife, a son and a daughter.

Abhishek (11), a fifth standard student of Ulloor primary school in Kundapur taluk lost his life after slipping and falling into the standing water of an abandoned stone quarry near his house. He was the son of Rama and Kusuma couple from Ulloor. Although efforts were made immediately to save him, he died before being brought out of water. He is survived by parents and a younger brother. His mother, who jumped into the water to save her son, was brought out by her brother. She is undergoing treatment into the government hospital at Kundapur.

E M Wasim (17), a plus two student of Madayi higher secondary school, died in Palayamgady in Kasargod district after accidentally coming in contact with a live wire that had severed and fallen on the ground on Monday.

Two more persons who were washed away in the rivulet, were reported missing from Kasargod district. They have been identified as Gopalakrishnan (46), who worked as wood cutter and lived in Chezhupuzha Ayannur Ullachchu Kunnil, and Kuruva Balan (55) from Peravoor Kakanjadu. Gopalakrishnan was washed away in Tejaswini rivulet while Balan went missing in Talapula rivulet.

Rainwater entered various houses in the coastal districts,. All the rivulets and rivers are overflowing, and a number of families have been shifted to safer places by the district administrations.

Agumbe recorded a rainfall of 23 cm, highest in the state. The city received about 12 cm rain, with some places in Malnad region registering nearly 20 cm rain. The meteorological department has predicted heavy rain to continue for a few more days before moderate rainfall takes over.

The deputy director of public instructions has been authorized to declare holidays for schools and colleges where students find it hard to attend their educational institutions because of heavy rain rendering it a daunting task for them to cross rivers, bridges, foot bridges, agricultural fields etc, after assessing the gravity of the situation. Udupi district deputy commissioner, Dr Muddu Mohan, said that whenever the situation warrants declaration of holiday for all the schools in the district on account of rain fury, the district administration will do so after holding discussions with the officials of different departments.