Though Cyclone Nisarga has moved ahead of Maharashtra, the coastal districts of the State are likely to receive more rain over the next four to five days.
On Wednesday, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts received heavy rainfall, while Dakshina Kannada district received moderate rainfall, said officials of the meteorological department.
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC), maximum rainfall of 170 mm was recorded at Majali hobli, Karwar taluk in Uttara Kannada district.
KSNDMC director G.S. Srinivas Reddy pointed out that the cyclone did not have much impact on the State, as its intensity had reduced. “Apart from Uttara Kannada and Udupi, some stations recorded heavy to very heavy rainfall. Dakshina Kannada received moderate rainfall. In the rest of Karnataka, there were reports of light to moderate rainfall in isolated places,” he said.
The skies over Mangaluru city were overcast, though it did not rain much. However, areas near the foothills of the Western Ghats, including Moodbidri, Belthangady, Kadaba, Puttur, and Sullia taluks in Dakshina Kannada district, received moderate rain.
The condition of sea in Someshwar, Uchila, Mogaveerapatna, and Ullal in Mangaluru taluk was rough. The Department of Fisheries has already warned fishermen against venturing into the Arabian Sea till June 4.
With more rain forecast, a 25-member team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is camping in Mangaluru city to help the district administration in evacuation efforts in case of floods and other emergencies. In Kodagu, which is bracing for the onset of South West Monsoon, nodal officers have been appointed in 16 hoblis to coordinate with the NDRF team stationed there.
The northern districts of Karnataka also received moderate to intense rainfall. Belagavi district received 36 mm rainfall in the first three days of June, as against an average of 10 mm. The wholesale fruit market in Belagavi was flooded on Tuesday, while water entered homes in some low-lying areas, such as Maratha Colony, Hindalga and Pangul Galli. Fortunately, there have been no reports of loss of life or livestock.
C.S. Patil from the meteorological department told The Hindu that eastern districts of the State, including Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Tumakuru, received very less rainfall. Vijayapura, Dharwad, Raichur, and Yadgir witnessed cloudy weather. Raichur district received 4.7 mm of rainfall in the last seven days against the average of 2 mm, Yadgir district received 28 mm rainfall against average of 14 mm.
Widespread moderate to heavy rain was likely over coastal Karnataka, scattered to widespread light to moderate rain likely over Malnad and adjoining interior Karnataka districts, while isolated light to moderate rain was likely over remaining parts of the State, according to KSNDMC’s rainfall forecast.
The coastal districts will receive more rain over the next four to five days, due to change in wind pattern, said Mr. Patil, who added that the rain would be widespread. However, he stated that the South West Monsoon was yet to set in the State and that districts of interior Karnataka had not yet received any rain. Dr. Reddy pointed out that with a low pressure system developing in the Bay of Bengal, monsoon activities may increase after June 8-9.
(With inputs from Mangaluru, Mysuru, and Hubballi)
