Bhatkal: After a brief lull in rainfall over the past two days, heavy showers accompanied by powerful winds lashed various parts of Bhatkal on Sunday, causing widespread damage. Reports of two deaths have also emerged from different areas of the taluk. However, authorities are yet to confirm whether these fatalities fall under the category of rain-related or natural disaster deaths.
While intermittent rain was reported throughout the morning, the situation turned alarming around 1:15 PM when a sudden spell of stormy winds wreaked havoc in multiple areas. Several house roofs were blown off, trees fell on homes, shop signboards were ripped apart and scattered onto roads, and electricity supply was disrupted due to the collapse of power poles.
One of the fatalities was reported from the Bilalkhand area, where a man named Madev Narayan Devadiga (50) reportedly drowned after being swept away while walking home through a lane behind a factory in the Gulmi-Bilalkhand locality. His wife, Lakshmi Devadiga, filed a complaint at the local police station. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination.
Another death occurred in Shirali-Mallari, where Manjunath Kuppa Naik (45) tragically fell into a water-filled pit near his residence and died on the spot.
According to details provided by the Bhatkal Tehsildar’s office, damages to houses were reported as follows: In Hadlur village, homes belonging to Nagaiyya Goida Gonda, Manjunath Sannu Gonda, and Sukra Mangal Gonda suffered partial roof damage. In Padushirali Bengre-2, a coconut tree fell on the house of Narayani Durgappa Naik, causing partial damage. In Koppa Kolakki, the mud wall of Shanti Ishwar Marathi's house collapsed, resulting in severe damage. In the Bengre-2 highway area, an areca tree fell on the house of Manjamma Subraya Devadiga, and in Moodbhatkal, a peepal tree collapsed on the house of Raghuram Pandurang Bhatt, both causing partial damage.
In Keerthinagar Majira of Poorvarga village, a large tree fell on the Veer Jattageshwar Temple, causing significant structural damage. On V.V. Road in Bhatkal, a wild tree fell on the house of Satish Kamath and Lata Kamath, damaging the roof. Another resident of V.V. Road, Govind Honnaiya Devadiga, lost the entire roof of his house, while four nearby houses were also reportedly damaged.
In Hadeel village, homes belonging to Durgayya Nagappa Sherugar and Shashikala Krishna Sherugar sustained partial damage. In Makhdoom Colony, the roof of Mumtaz Begum (wife of Ibrahim Syed) was blown off by strong winds and heavy rain. On V.V. Road in Maruti Nagar, a jackfruit tree fell on the house of Vinod Prabhu, damaging the rooftop and the overhead water tank.
Several other houses also suffered roof damage during the storm, though official complaints had not been filed. On the town’s main road, several shop signboards were uprooted, and even a hotel roof was blown away. At a commercial complex, several children’s clothing items displayed on the upper floor were carried away by strong winds.
According to the HESCOM department, continuous heavy rainfall from Saturday night through Sunday, along with stormy winds, caused extensive damage to the power infrastructure. A total of 27 electric poles and 3 transformers were damaged due to falling trees, leading to severe disruption in the town’s electricity supply. HESCOM personnel have been working around the clock to restore power in affected areas.
It is worth noting that Bhatkal recorded 36.9 mm of rainfall from 8 AM on Friday to 8 AM on Saturday, while 43 mm of rainfall was recorded from 8 AM Saturday to 8 AM Sunday. Since Sunday morning, however, intermittent but intense rainfall has continued across the region.