Nethravathi overflow forces evacuations across Bantwal low-lying zones

Mangaluru: Rising water levels in the Nethravathi river, driven by incessant rainfall across the Western Ghats, inundated several low-lying areas in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district late Sunday night and early Monday.

Authorities responded by evacuating residents from flood-prone localities as a precautionary step.

The river level at Bantwal stood at 7.4 metres on Sunday evening and continued swelling through Monday morning until it reached 8.5 metres.

Floodwaters entered more than 15 houses in low-lying pockets that included Panemangaluru and Aladkapadpu, leading officials to shift the affected families to safer locations.

The same rise submerged stretches of roads in Aladka, Kanchikarpete and the Kotekani area of Bantwal, thereby disrupting vehicular movement. Floodwaters also entered the surroundings of the Bhayankareshwara Temple and the cremation ground at Panemangaluru.

Water levels in both the Nethravathi and Kumaradhara rivers increased at Uppinangady because of the continuing heavy rainfall in the Ghats. The Nethravathi river level at Uppinangady touched 30.1 metres on Sunday evening before receding marginally. Low-lying riverbank areas experienced inundation, yet no flooding occurred inside Uppinangady town itself.

Authorities noted that low-lying areas in Veeramangala stood submerged owing to the swelling Kumaradhara river and therefore advised the public to avoid visiting those affected zones.

Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Corporation officials remain closely monitoring the river levels while rainfall persists across the catchment area.