Light rains in Bengaluru, moderate to heavy rains forecast in coastal Karnataka

With the southwest monsoon reviving after a break, moderate to heavy rains lashed Karnataka, disrupting normal life, an official at the Karnataka State Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) said on Monday. KSNDMC forecasted widespread moderate to heavy rains in the coastal districts of Karnataka and light rains in Malnad, south interior and north interior parts of the state in a bulletin issued on Monday evening. 

"Widespread moderate to heavy rains with isolated very heavy rains likely over Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. Widespread light to moderate rains with isolated heavy rains likely over Kodagu, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru districts," the department said.

The department also forecasted cloudy skies and light rains in Bengaluru over the next two days. Data showed 13 cm rainfall at Agumbe in Shivamogga district, followed by 12 cm at Manki in Uttara Kannada district and 10 cm each in Kota, Kundapur, and Bhatkal in the coastal areas. In Bidar district, which has been witnessing unrelenting rain for the past three to four days, a woman and her daughter were struck dead by lightning at Khudavandpur in Bhalki taluk on Sunday.

According to the Bhalki police, the incident occurred when Bhagyashree Metre, 32, and her daughter Vaishali, 9, were returning home from their farm. While in Chitradurga, three-year-old boy, Lohit and his mother, Savitramma, 33, died after the wall of their house collapsed on them. "Grievously injured, Savitramma was admitted to a private hospital in Davanagere district died in the wee hours of Monday due to injuries, while her husband, Omkarappa is showing signs of recovery," the Hosadurga police told reporters.

"Northern districts in the state like Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur and Yadgir received heavy to very heavy rains due to dark clouds and favourable factors like strong surface winds," said an official from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

The IMD issued an orange alert in coastal and central districts, including Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Kodagu and Shivamogga, warning of heavy and widespread rains in the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, the state natural disaster monitoring centre warned fishermen from venturing into the Arabian Sea across the west coast, as strong winds with 40-50 kmph speed were likely to pass over the area, causing high waves and gusty conditions.

With IANS and PTI inputs