As temple town Udupi witnessed unprecedented rainfall since Saturday morning, the city administration was on its toes through night and day carrying out rescue operations.
“We rescued over 100 people in the city through Saturday night,” Udupi Municipal Commissioner Anand C. Kallolikar told The Hindu on Sunday.
A team of officials and staff from the City Municipal Council, the district administration, the police and Fire and Emergency Services departments was engaged in the rescue operations with the Commissioner leading from the front. He quoted elders as saying that the last time they witnessed a similar amount of rainfall and floods was in 1982.
As per Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre bulletin, Udupi district received an average of 197 mm rainfall in 24 hours between Saturday morning (8.30 a.m.) and Sunday morning (8.30 a.m.), with Irodi receiving the highest of 449 mm in the State, followed by Kodi with 445 mm and Bommarabettu with 439 mm, all in Udupi taluk.
Mr. Kallolikar said that some areas, which had hitherto not heard of floods, including Perampalli, too witnessed heavy flooding because of the heavy and incessant rainfall. While Doddanagudde, which usually witnesses floods every monsoon as it has been developed in a low-lying area comprising paddy fields, resembled an ocean, other areas, including Herga, Kinnimulki, Thenkapete, Beedinagudde, Alevoor, too witnessed heavy flooding.
As many as 10 migrant workers staying in low-lying areas between Beedinagudde and Kunjigettu were rescued by a team led by him from neck-deep waters, Mr. Kallolikar said.
Similarly, another 10 people who had taken shelter on top of a building near Kalsanka were rescued by the CMC using a crane, he said. The Commissioner said that it was heartening that there was no casualty in the city.
The team continued to keep vigil on Sunday night also as rain had not subsided, Mr. Kallolikar added. All the rescued people have been provided shelters at different relief centres.
