Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Aug 5: Several places located in the state's coast received good rainfall coupled with thunder and lightning on the evening and night of Sunday August 4. Rainfall was experienced in Beltangady, Dharmasthala, Sullia, Puttur, Bantwal, Vittal, Manipal, Karkala, Shirva, Padubidri, Kundapur etc. Bhagamandala in Kodagu district received highest rainfall of 15 cm.
The meteorological department has predicted that most of the places in coastal Karnataka and a few places in interior Karnataka will get rainfall. This prediction is valid till Tuesday morning.
Because of improper maintenance of drainage, places like Bejai, Kottara and Urwa Store in the city experienced artificial floods. Because of inclement weather, tourists are not being allowed to enter the sea at Panambur and Tannirbhavi beaches.
In Chitrapur near Suratkal, two families were relocated because of sea erosion threat. These families were put up in a nearby Bhajana Mandir. MLA, Dr Bharath Y Shetty, who visited the spot, said that efforts would be made to retain the houses by using sand bags etc. He also held discussions about plans to protect the playground of a school near Chitrapur that is affected by surging sea. Speaking to media persons, Shetty said that there are plans to stack boulders on the seashore in remaining parts of the seashore at a cost of Rs 350 crore and that this issue would be discussed with the chief minister.
Former city mayor, Ganesh Hosabettu, revenue officer, Naveen, and Hosabettu Raghuveer Panambur were present. On Sunday, sand bags were stacked as an interim measure to save the houses and playground. The fact that sea erosion is being experienced at Mallamar, Bykampady etc after a gap of several years has given rise to panic among the residents of these localities.
Because of sea erosion, boulders which were heaped on the seashore to stop the advancing seas are being washed into the depths of the sea one by one. Sea erosion has also been experienced in Kaiko in Ullal, Hilleria Nagar, Mukkacheri etc. Several coconut trees were uprooted due to sea erosion at Bada Yermal village near Padubidri on Sunday.