Heavy rain batters twin cities, inundates arterial roads and low-lying areas

Heavy rain in Hubballi-Dharwad causes waterlogging, traffic chaos, and a tragic incident; red alert issued for more rain.

Heavy rain coupled with thunder battered the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad on Wednesday evening and continued past midnight resulting in waterlogging of arterial roads, inundation of low-lying areas, leading to traffic chaos later in the night.

A motorcyclist was washed away in an overflowing drain and the body is yet to be recovered.

According to eyewitnesses, Hussainsab Kalasad, a resident of Beerband Oni in Hubballi, who was riding the motorcycle in a waterlogged road near Nekar Nagar, lost control and fell into an overflowing drain and was washed away.

The pillion rider was rescued by passersby. On Thursday, municipal authorities continued their effort to retrieve the body but did not succeed till late in the evening.

Following incessant rainfall and orange alert being sounded for the district, Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu G.R.J declared a holiday for anganwadis, schools and colleges on Thursday. However, the third annual examination for II PU was held in nine centres of the district as scheduled.

As the India Meteorological Department has sounded red alert for the district, the Deputy Commissioner has directed officials not to leave their headquarters. She has appealed to the public not to venture out unnecessarily as heavy rain is expected to continue for the next two days.

As heavy rain battered the twin cities on Wednesday evening, various localities in Hubballi and Dharwad witnessed waterlogging and rainwater entered some houses in Lingaraj Nagar, Om Nagar and Siddharoodh Nagar and other areas.