Tempo overloaded with cattle causes accident, 32 cows seized

Mangaluru/Udupi, Aug 1: Karnataka’s twin costal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have recorded 10 more deaths related to covid-19. 

With four more deaths, Dakshina Kannada’s covid-19 death toll mounted to 159. Udupi’s covid-19 death toll mounted to 35 with 6 new deaths. 

Meanwhile, DK recorded 139 new covid positive cases. Among them 91 are from Mangaluru, 19 from Bantwal, 14 from Beltangady, nine from Puttur, and six from other districts.

With this, the total number of the covid-10 cases in DK reached 5,852. Out of these only 3,008 cases are currently active. 

On the other hand, Udupi recorded 136 new covid-19 cases. The total number of covid-19 cases reported in the district mounted to 4,492. 

According to the official bulletin, a total of 32,401 samples have been collected so far. Among them 27,463 have turned out to be negative and 446 reports are awaited.

Madikeri, Aug 7: Two days after massive landslides triggered by heavy downpour in Kodagu, five people including a priest are still missing. 

The landslide, which originating at Brahmagiri Hills in Talacauvery, swept away two houses on Wednesday night.

This missing people are: Talacauvery temple chief Narayana Achar (70), his wife Shantha (70), brother Ananda Theertha Swami (87) and two assistants — Ravi Kiran (26) and Srinivas (30). Achar’s neighbour had shifted out of Bhagamandala earlier, fearing a landslide. 

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had to stop rescue operations due to bad weather. The operations resumed today. 

“There are many minor landslides on the way to the spot,” said Kodagu Deputy Commissioner C Annies K Joy, adding that the flood situation at Bhagamandala was not permitting earthmovers to reach the spot. Heavy rain between Wednesday and Thursday triggered landslides. 

Bhagamandala Panchayat Development Officer Ashok said a notice was issued to the priest’s family to shift out of the house, but they chose to stay back. 

On Thursday morning, when the Talacauvery temple staff went to check on Narayana Achar, as he had not reached the temple for the daily puja, they found levelled land and debris where Achar’s house stood. Utensils, puja material and clothes were found nearly 2 km away at Cherangala. 

As rains continued over the last few days, many rivers are flowing above the danger levels, forcing people to move to safer places.

 Responding to the situation, which is turning grimmer by the day, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is currently undergoing treatment in a private hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, directed ministers to visit rain-hit areas and supervise relief efforts. He has also assured of providing required financial assistance for those affected.