Heavy Rains Cause Landslips and Disruptions in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru
Heavy rainfall in multiple parts of Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district led to landslips in the Chandradrona hill ranges and caused disruptions to vehicular traffic on key ghat routes.
What Happened
Incessant rains impacted several taluks across Chikkamagaluru district, leading to landslips along the Ghat Road leading to the Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy Dargah in Chikkamagaluru taluk. The debris and soil movement hampered the flow of vehicles along the route.
Alongside the landslips in the Chandradrona range, severe weather conditions caused damage to local infrastructure in Kalasa taluk. At Kelabailu near Kalasa, a fallen tree collapsed onto an electricity line, uprooting an electric pole. Three cattle were electrocuted after coming into contact with the exposed live wire. Further damage was prevented when a passing truck driver alerted officials from the Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom), who promptly disconnected the power supply. Following the incident, Mescom officials and personnel from the Kalasa police visited and inspected the location.
Key Highlights
- Traffic Disruption: Landslips occurred on the Ghat Road heading toward Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy Dargah, affecting vehicle movement.
- Infrastructure Impact: Falling trees uprooted an electric pole and brought down power lines at Kelabailu near Kalasa.
- Livestock Loss: Three cattle died due to electrocution from the fallen live wires.
- Rainfall Distribution: Sringeri taluk recorded the highest rainfall at 59 mm, followed by Kalasa at 46 mm, Mudigere at 18 mm, N.R. Pura at 12 mm, Chikkamagaluru taluk at 4 mm, and Ajjampura at 1 mm.
- District Average: The India Meteorological Department recorded an average rainfall of 11 mm across the district in the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.
Why This Matters
The rainfall and resulting landslips directly impacted transit across hilly routes in the Chandradrona range, creating hazards for commuters traveling along the Bababudan Dargah ghat corridor. Additionally, the uprooting of electrical infrastructure created localized safety risks in rural areas such as Kelabailu.
What to Watch Next
Local authorities and Mescom personnel have initiated responses to address the fallen power lines and monitor rain-affected zones across the taluks of Sringeri, Kalasa, Mudigere, Koppa, N.R. Pura, and Chikkamagaluru.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which areas in Chikkamagaluru received the highest rainfall?
According to India Meteorological Department data for the 24 hours ending at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Sringeri recorded the highest rainfall at 59 mm, followed by Kalasa with 46 mm.
Where did the landslips take place?
The landslips occurred in the Chandradrona hill ranges, specifically affecting the Ghat Road leading to Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy Dargah in Chikkamagaluru taluk.
What emergency measures were taken following the power line collapse?
After an alert from a truck driver, Mescom officials immediately disconnected the electricity supply to prevent further accidents at Kelabailu, and teams from Mescom and Kalasa police inspected the site.
Source: Based on reporting from The Hindu.