Thundershowers, gusty winds leave a trail of destruction across Udupi, DK

Udupi/Mangaluru, May 18: The moderate to heavy rains that lashed twin districts of coastal Karnataka last evening left a trail of destruction.

Nearly two dozens of houses and several fields were damaged as rain accompanied by strong winds lashed Udupi district on Tuesday. Seven electricity poles and a transformer unit were damaged after trees fell on them near MGM College on Udupi-Manipal Road here.

According to Ganaraj Bhat, Assistant Executive Engineer, Mangalore Electricity Supply Company, in all, 11 electricity poles — the seven electricity poles near MGM College and two electricity poles each in Ambagilu and Malpe in Udupi Sub Division — were damaged as trees fell on them.

The electricity poles had been replaced and power supply restored. The transformer unit was yet to be replaced. The damage had been estimated at Rs. 3 lakh, he said.

Meanwhile, in Kundapur taluk, a house each was damaged due to trees falling on them in Voderhobli, Hombady-Mandady, Gujjady, Yadyady-Matyady, Kundabarangady and Belala villages, while two houses were damaged in Korgi village. According to the Kundapur Taluk Office, damage to all these houses put together had been estimated at Rs. 2.28 lakh.

In Karkala taluk, 14 houses — six in Bailoor village, five in Kukkundoor, two in Nere and one in Kanajar — were partially damaged in rain. The damage to all these houses put together had been estimated at Rs. 2.4 lakh.

According to the Karkala Taluk Office, a cow belonging to Sumana died at Hermunde village when lightning struck it. The loss was estimated at Rs. 20,000. Arecanut plantation of three farmers suffered extensive damage in strong winds in Bailoor village and the loss was estimated at Rs. 3 lakh. Several rubber, arecanut and coconut trees were destroyed and some electricity poles too broke in Nuralbettu village.

Dakshina Kannada

Power supply in some parts of Mangaluru city and rural areas of Dakshina Kannada was disrupted due to Tuesday evening's thundershowers.

The police said that traffic between Belthangady and Bantwal was disrupted following tree fall in some places near Bantwal late in the evening. Efforts were on to remove them and restore traffic.

Official sources said that a woman, identified as Gulabi, was struck by lightning near Naravi in Belthangady taluk.

Two more persons in Naravi were injured after roof-top asbestos sheets came down due to heavy wind and hit them.