Rain loses sting in K'taka, toll 17

Bangalore, June 2 (UNI) Rain fury, which caused widespread damage and deaths in the coastal districts and ghat areas of Karnataka abated further with only intermittent rainfall being reported, even as the death toll in rain-related incidents in the State rose to 17.

One fisherman, identified as Jagadish Somaiah, was killed when the boat in which he set sail with five others capsized after being hit by a gale at Kasbabengre, near sea mouth at Old Port area in Mangalore, last evening. The incident occurred after the authorities asked the fishermen to move their boats from New Mangalore Port area to Old Port. While the five others were saved, Somaiah was unlucky.

His body was found this morning.

With this, the fishermen who fell victim to the rain fury after the onset of south-west monsoon, which arrived a week in advance in the State, rose to seven. Ten others died in rain-related incidents in different districts.

The casualties were reported from Udupi district (seven), Dakshina Kannada (four), Dharwad (three), Belgaum (two) and Kodagu (one).

Meanwhile, though there was let up in rain in Dakshina Kannada district since yesterday, sea erosion had become severe in Ullal.

Fisheries Minister B Nagaraj Shetty, also Dakshina Kannada district incharge Minister, handed over compensation cheques to residents of Ullal who had lost their houses due to sea erosion.

Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir, built across river Cauvery near Mysore, continued to get good inflow due to copious rains during the last few days in Kodagu district. The level rose to 91.55 ft with an inflow of 21,534 cusecs.

Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada received the heaviest rainfall in the State at 11 cm. The other stations that recorded notable amounts of rainfall were Ankola and Shirali (10 each), Kumta and Kundapura (nine each), Udupi, Karwar and Siddapura (seven each).

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