Heavy Rains lash DK & Udupi; Orange alert issued, Schools disrupted in parts of coastal region

Intense and consistent rainfall continued to lash several parts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on Friday, prompting authorities to suspend classes in Bantwal taluk as a precautionary measure. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an Orange Alert for July 5 and 6, predicting heavy rain accompanied by strong winds.

In Dakshina Kannada, several regions including Mangaluru city, Puttur, Uppinangady, Bantwal, Sullia, Subrahmanya, Ullal, Surathkal, Vittla, Kanyana, Beltangady, Madanthyar, and Dharmasthala experienced steady rainfall throughout the day. As per rainfall data recorded until 8:30 AM on July 4, Bantwal received the highest rainfall at 68.2 mm, followed by Belthangady (62.6 mm), Sullia (61 mm), Mangaluru and Puttur (49 mm each), and Ullal (40.3 mm). The district average stood at 56 mm.

Rain-related incidents led to partial damage to five houses, 55 electricity poles, and one transformer. Emergency response teams including 15 SDRF personnel in Mangaluru, 10 in Subrahmanya, and a 25-member NDRF team in Puttur have been deployed. A total of 26 boats are on standby for rescue operations.

The IMD has warned of continued heavy rainfall and gusty winds across coastal Karnataka over the weekend. Rough sea conditions are expected, with the department urging fishermen and the public to exercise caution.

Udupi Sees Widespread Rains; School Closure Confusion Erupts
In Udupi district, heavy rains persisted from morning till night on Friday. However, school holiday decisions triggered confusion in several taluks. Though a Red Alert was in effect until early Friday and later downgraded to Orange, the district administration did not issue a unified holiday declaration.

Instead, the responsibility was passed down to tahsildars, who in turn assigned it to Block Education Officers (BEOs). Unfortunately, by the time schools received these directions, classes had already commenced. Some schools independently decided to declare leave citing safety concerns due to worsening weather.

Parents and educators have urged the administration to issue timely and district-wide decisions in such weather conditions.

“If holidays are pre-declared during extreme weather forecasts, we can make alternative arrangements. It’s dangerous and inconvenient for children and parents when schools abruptly announce leave mid-day,” said a concerned parent.

Widespread rainfall was reported in Udupi, Karkala, Kundapur, Hebri, Brahmavar, Kaup, and Byndoor. With the Orange Alert extended into Saturday, authorities anticipate continued showers across the region.