3 Dead After Landslide in Karnataka Due to Heavy Rainfall, Red Alert Continues

The death toll after a landslide happened due to heavy rainfall in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district rose to three, a senior police official told news agency ANI on Thursday morning, 7 July.

A fourth person meanwhile is being treated in a hospital, a police superintendent said. Three people were earlier rescued from the debris, Dr KV Rajendra, the deputy commissioner had said late Wednesday night.

The landslide had occurred at Mukkuda Panjikallu in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada. The three labourers were trapped under the debris and had been rescued by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted very heavy rainfall, over 200 mm, at isolated places in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Udupi.

While all three coastal districts are on red alert, an orange alert had been issued in Belagavi, Chikkamangaluru, Kodak, and Shivamogga for 7 July. North Karnataka districts of Dharwad, Haveri, and Kalaburagi are also likely to receive mild showers with winds of speed 40 kmph.

Meanwhile, all schools and colleges have been shut in coastal Karnataka after the IMD predicted extremely heavy rain for the districts in the state.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has instructed officials to survey flood-prone areas and assess if evacuation efforts are needed in affected areas.

His office said in a statement, "In 2009 after massive flood havoc 60 villages were permanently relocated. But people returned to their earlier habitations once the flood waters receded. We are considering the option of building well-equipped rehabilitation centres in higher places along the river banks and low-lying areas so that people could be shifted there whenever they are affected by floods,” NDTV reported.

Monsoon rainfall has led to flooding in several states – from Maharashtra and Karnataka to Manipur, where 48 people died in a landslide in Noney district.

(With inputs from NDTV.)