Heavy rains, landslips disconnect coastal Karnataka from rest of State

Heavy rains cause landslips in coastal and south interior Karnataka, disrupting road networks and threatening connectivity in the region.

Heavy rains and landslips were reported in many places in coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka on Tuesday.

A massive landslip occurred near Harle Estate in Sakaleshpur in Hassan taluk on Monday night. It swept away a portion of the road that serves as an alternative to the Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway, which has seen many similar incidents in recent weeks. The road network in many villages was disrupted, and local people blamed the ‘unscientific’ execution of the Yettinahole project.

Fresh erosion of earth on the Shiradi Ghat stretch of NH 75, at Doddathappale village in Sakaleshpur taluk, left many travellers on the highway stranded for hours on Tuesday. A huge chunk of mud came down the highway during heavy rains. A truck overturned while three other vehicles were stuck in the debris.

As the entire road was covered by mud, vehicles on the busy road, which connects the coastal region and Bengaluru, could not move. KSRTC buses were stuck for hours. Heavy earthmovers were hired to clear the debris. With the Shiradi Ghat stretch closed for traffic again on Tuesday and the train connectivity between Mangaluru and Bengaluru suspended since July 26, Mangaluru is again facing connectivity issues.

Now, the coastal city is connected through Charmadi Ghat on NH 73 (Mangaluru-Chikkamagaluru) and through Sampaje Ghat on NH 275 (Mangaluru-Madikeri-Mysuru). Both are vulnerable to landslips and face the threat of closure. A police official said movement of heavy vehicles on the Charmadi ghat section has been banned as a safety measure.

Netravathi river, the lifeline of Dakshina Kannada, was in spate, and water entered the Mangaluru-Bengaluru national highway near Uppinangady.

Traffic between Mangaluru and Madikeri too came to a halt for sometime on Tuesday following a landslip at Shekhamale. It was cleared around 2 p.m. Incessant rain in Kodagu for the last ten days has wreaked havoc in the district. Multiple incidents of mudslides were reported on Tuesday while six persons, who were stranded in flood waters, were rescued in a village in Virajpet taluk.