Wed Dec 04 02:45:43 UTC 2024: ## Mangaluru Hit by Torrential Rains, Causing Widespread Damage

**Mangaluru, Karnataka, December 4, 2024** – Torrential rains pounded Mangaluru and Dakshina Kannada district on Tuesday, causing significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and businesses. The downpour overwhelmed the city’s drainage system, leading to widespread flooding.

Several incidents of property damage were reported. The compound wall of a house belonging to a retired St. Aloysius College professor, Shikaripura Krishnamurthy, in Karangalpady, collapsed after rainwater gushed into the basement of a nearby Canara Bank apartment complex due to inadequate shoulder drains. Water also flooded the professor’s home. Similar incidents were reported across the city, including the collapse of compound walls in Jeppu and Surathkal. A rivulet overflowed in Kinya village, damaging a retaining wall. The Kottara Chowki area, known for its flooding issues due to storm drain encroachment, was again inundated, forcing shopkeepers to bail out water.

Area MLA and Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader visited the affected areas. Social activist K. Jayakrishnan criticized the administration’s inaction regarding storm drain encroachment in the Maladi Court area, highlighting a missed opportunity to address the issue with the Upa Lokayukta.

By Tuesday afternoon, the rains subsided, offering some relief to residents. However, the damage caused by the heavy downpour underscores the need for improved infrastructure and drainage management in Mangaluru to mitigate the impact of future rainfall.

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