Heavy rain coupled with thunder battered the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad on Wednesday evening and continued past midnight resulting in waterlogging of arterial roads, inundation of low-lying areas, leading to traffic chaos later in the night.
A motorcyclist was washed away in an overflowing drain and the body is yet to be recovered.
According to eyewitnesses, Hussainsab Kalasad, a resident of Beerband Oni in Hubballi, who was riding the motorcycle in a waterlogged road near Nekar Nagar, lost control and fell into an overflowing drain and was washed away.
The pillion rider was rescued by passersby. On Thursday, municipal authorities continued their effort to retrieve the body but did not succeed till late in the evening.
A car surrounded by muddy water in the basement of an apartment complex at Shirur Park in Hubballi following incessant rainfall on Wednesday evening.
| Photo Credit:
KIRAN BAKALE
Following incessant rainfall and orange alert being sounded for the district, Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu G.R.J declared a holiday for anganwadis, schools and colleges on Thursday. However, the third annual examination for II PU was held in nine centres of the district as scheduled.
As the India Meteorological Department has sounded red alert for the district, the Deputy Commissioner has directed officials not to leave their headquarters. She has appealed to the public not to venture out unnecessarily as heavy rain is expected to continue for the next two days.
As heavy rain battered the twin cities on Wednesday evening, various localities in Hubballi and Dharwad witnessed waterlogging and rainwater entered some houses in Lingaraj Nagar, Om Nagar and Siddharoodh Nagar and other areas.
Rainwater from overflowing storm-water drains entered Pandurang Colony and adjoining areas of Old Hubballi.
Incessant rainfall threw traffic out of gear on Wednesday night with waterlogging being reported near Unkal, Deshpande Nagar, Lamington School, Gurudatta Bhavan, KMCRI and other localities apart from instances of rainwater inundating several low-lying areas.
There were reports of basements of a few apartment blocks getting inundated. Rainwater mixed with sewage entered shops and commercial establishments at Dajibanpet in Hubballi, while the Tender Sure Road from Shirur Park to Tolanakere (Tank) was also waterlogged.
The state of the road in Dajibanpet on Thursday after drains overflowed leaving foul-smelling sewage following incessant rainfall in Hubballi.
| Photo Credit:
KIRAN BAKALE
There were reports of rainwater entering fields in the taluks of Navalgund and Kundgol and also a few cases of stranded people being rescued by police and local authorities with the help of residents.
In the wake of the weather forecast, the Deputy Commissioner has prohibited all kinds of water sports and people entering into streams, waterfalls, ponds and other water bodies in the district for bathing.
Helplines
The district administration has also set up helplines for the general public to contact in case of emergency. They are Deputy Commissioner’s office 0836-2445505, 1077; Dharwad Assistant Commissioner’s office 0836-2233860; Dharwad Tahsildar’s office 0836-2233822; Alnavar 0836-2385544; Hubballi Urban 0836- 2258035; Hubballi 0836-2233844, Kalghatgi 08370-284535; Kundgol 08304-290239; Navalgund 08380-229240; Annigeri 8618442759 HDMC 0836- 2213888/2213889/2213869, WhatsApp Ph: 8277803778.
In Uttara Kannada
Meanwhile, waterlogged roads and indundated low-lying villages were reported in Uttara Kannada on Wednesday and Thursday.
On account of a red alert, Depury Commissioner of Uttara Kannada K. Lakshmipriya declared a holiday for anganwadis, primary and high schools in Karwar, Ankola, Kumta, Honnavar and Bhatkal taluks of the district on Thursday and subsequently, extended it to Friday also.
Published – June 12, 2025 09:04 pm IST
