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Mangaluru, June 15: Incessant rains continued to batter Dakshina Kannada on Sunday, triggering multiple landslides and causing widespread disruption to traffic and daily life across the district.

A significant landslide occurred adjacent to National Highway 169 at Kethikal in Thiruvail village near Vamanjoor, depositing a large volume of soil on the right side of the highway. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) promptly deployed teams to the site. Cleanup operations are currently underway, and precautionary traffic diversions have been put in place to maintain vehicular movement. Fortunately, no major damage or injuries were reported.

The Kethikal area has previously been identified as vulnerable, with similar incidents reported during last year’s monsoon. In response, the authorities had initiated soil-nailing measures and planned the construction of a gabion wall to stabilize the slope and prevent future landslides. Despite these efforts, the recurrence has raised fresh concerns about long-term solutions.

Meanwhile, another landslide affected the Jokatte–Padil section of the railway line, leading to slower train movement in the region as a precautionary measure.

In Kankanady's Naguri area, a minor landslide impacted residential zones, threatening at least 12 houses. Authorities evacuated the affected families to safer locations. Dramatic CCTV footage capturing the collapse of a massive compound wall at Suvarna Lane in Kankanady quickly went viral on social media, amplifying public concern.

Flash flooding was also reported in Pandeshwara’s Shivanagara 4th Cross, where residents struggled through knee-deep water, adding to the growing list of monsoon-related woes.

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) recorded alarming rainfall figures over a 24-hour period ending at 8:30 AM on Sunday:

Pudu Gram Panchayat (Mangaluru taluk): 189.5 mm

Neerumarga: 180.5 mm

Meramajalu: 174 mm

Bala Gram Panchayat: 165.5 mm

Patrame: 162.5 mm

Amtadi: 159.5 mm

Badagabelluru: 150 mm

Officials are closely monitoring vulnerable areas, and emergency teams remain on alert as forecasts predict continued rainfall in the coming days.

Bengaluru, June 12: Karnataka cabinet on Thursday "unanimously" decided to conduct a new Socio-Educational survey, popularly known as caste census, in the state.

"....we have taken a decision in the cabinet. It was a unanimous decision in the cabinet that a new survey is to be conducted," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters after a special cabinet meeting.

He said, "The government will consult the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission....we are going to give 90 days time to survey a fresh and to give the report." The decision comes after the Congress top brass on Tuesday directed the state government to hold caste re-enumeration in Karnataka to address the concerns of some communities, who complained of being left out of the survey that was conducted 10 years ago.

The decision came at a time when the cabinet was already considering the Socio-Educational Survey report that was submitted to the government, based on the survey that was conducted in 2015.

Tehran, June 17: After Iran launched the ninth phase of its retaliatory military campaign, Operation True Promise III, on Monday night, the Israeli government imposed a sweeping media blackout across the country — halting live aerial coverage from multiple cities amid ongoing missile and drone strikes.

Live Feeds Abruptly Cut Off

Reports confirm that live broadcasts from over Tel Aviv and Haifa were suddenly interrupted as waves of Iranian missiles lit up the night sky. The order to halt aerial coverage appears to have come directly from Israeli authorities, in an effort to suppress real-time visibility of impact zones and defense response.

Western networks, including CNN, also pulled their live aerial streams from key locations in Israeli-held areas shortly after the blackout was initiated. While no formal explanation was issued, the move coincided with escalating Iranian strikes.

Censorship on Social Media Platforms

As the bombardment continued, several independent livestreams on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram — some of which showed the skies over Tel Aviv, Herzliya, and the Jerusalem corridor — were taken down without explanation. The removals sparked criticism from viewers who accused platforms of complying with state-level censorship.

Journalist Crackdown Intensifies

The media clampdown was not limited to digital coverage. Several journalists — both Israeli and foreign — were reportedly detained for filming or attempting to broadcast images of missile impacts and air defense activity.

Israeli military officials had earlier warned that recording and disseminating footage of missile strikes — particularly details such as location or timing — would be treated as aiding the enemy during wartime.

Details of Iranian Strikes

According to Iranian military sources, Monday’s attacks targeted command and control centers inside Israel, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) employing advanced missile systems and precision drones guided by upgraded intelligence systems.

These strikes are part of a broader campaign that began on Friday. Since then, Iran’s IRGC Aerospace Division has conducted nine waves of missile and drone attacks under Operation True Promise III, focusing on military and strategic assets.

On Sunday, Iran claimed to have hit Israeli fighter jet fuel production facilities and energy infrastructure in Haifa, in what it called one of the most significant drone-missile operations of the war so far.

Why the Blackout?

Analysts say the media blackout reflects growing concern within the Israeli military establishment over the psychological and strategic impact of Iranian strikes. Visibility of precision hits, coupled with growing civilian unease, threatens to undermine confidence in the regime’s military capabilities.

“The blackout is aimed at damage control — not just physical, but reputational,” said a West Asian security analyst. “The strikes have punctured a long-maintained image of invulnerability.”