MANGALURU: Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, fire department and local swimmers are continuing their search for a youth, who is feared drowned in river Phalguni near Moodushedde dam Sushanth, 20, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar, Vamanjoor, was feared drowned around 5.30pm on Sunday. According to police, he accidentally slipped into the flooded river. With three days having gone by after the incident, the chances of the youth’s survival look bleak.Meanwhile, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad, has sounded a high wave alert for the coast of Karnataka. High waves in the range of 3-4 metres are forecast on Thursday along the coast of Karnataka from Mangaluru to Karwar. Current speeds vary between 68 - 86cm/sec.Strong winds from westerly direction, speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph occasionally are likely along and off Karnataka, Kerala coasts and over Lakshadweep area. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea over the Southwest, Central and North Arabian Sea regions.The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre has forecast widespread heavy to very heavy rain over coastal Karnataka and moderate to heavy rain over Malnad districts up to 8.30am on Thursday.All three districts of coastal Karnataka – Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada – recorded more than normal rainfall as on Wednesday morning. Uttara Kannada marked the highest departure of 122% with an actual rainfall of 68.5mm, the normal being 30.8mm. Udupi received 53.5mm rainfall, a departure of 20% from the normal rainfall of 44.4mm. Dakshina Kannada witnessed the least departure of 8%. The normal rainfall was 43% while the actual rainfall was 46.4%. Kodkani with 188.5mm rainfall, Madamakki with 123mm and Kombaru with 111.5mm rainfall were the locations that received maximum rainfall in the three districts respectively.Incidents of landslides and power cuts continued to haunt Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts.The heavy downpour at Kodimbala in Kadaba has marooned a bus stand at Kallantadka, forcing passengers to await outside for buses. The road near the bus stand was recently widened and raised. This has led to water from the road flowing into the bus stand which is now at a lower level. Streams, rivulets and rivers have been flowing with force. Lack of drainage has worsened the situationHosmatha bridge submergesThe Hosamatha Bridge, 15 km near Uppinangady, went under water twice on Wednesday- once in the morning and again in the evening. But not many people take this route during monsoon, nonetheless it inconveniences villagers. The bridge being low in height always submerges when the Kempuholey dam near Shiradi Ghat, Gundya, releases excess water when there is lot of inflow.The water level in Nethravathi river at Bantwal was 6.3 meters with the danger level being 8.5 meters. The water level of Nethravathi river at Uppinangady and Kumaradhara river were below danger levels at 22 meters each with danger levels being 28.5 meters and 29.5 meters respectively.Authorities directed to be on alertIn the wake of heavy rainfall across Karnataka, the disaster management wing of the revenue department issued an advisory on Wednesday asking district administrations to suspend water-based recreational activity in rivers till the monsoon ends. “Also, popular river spots must be manned to dissuade tourists from swimming or venturing into the river,” the alert stated.The advisory issued by Gangaram Baderia, principal secretary to the government (Revenue Department - Disaster management), calls upon the districts administration to take all necessary precautions as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure there are no untoward incidents. Respective deputy commissioners of all districts in the state have been told to maintain strict vigil at the dams in their jurisdiction as well as in the downstream area.The advisory has also asked public not to cross rivers without proper life support system and in boats. “It has been reported that due to heavy rains in most of the parts of Karnataka, in particular Malnad and coastal Karnataka, the rivers are over flowing. But people have been crossing rivers using temporary structures like bamboos, coconut tree logs, resulting in drownings,” it added.

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