Mangaluru, 2 Aug 

Torrential monsoon rains and strong winds battered the Dakshina Kannada district in coastal Karnataka region overnight, triggering landslides, inundating roads and low-lying areas, and swelling major rivers, officials said on Sunday.

The district administration placed emergency response mechanisms, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), on high alert as several rivers rose to dangerous levels after relentless downpours across Western Ghats catchment areas.

The Netravathi, Kumaradhara, Mrutyunjaya, Phalguni (Gurupura), and Somavathi rivers were reported flowing near or above danger marks, threatening riverside settlements and agricultural belts. Water levels have risen rapidly; downstream communities are being monitored and alerted, a senior district official told PTI.

Landslides and flash floods blocked key routes and disrupted connectivity across the district. In Belthangady taluk, landslides obstructed the Mundaje-Dharmasthala route, while flash currents caused a retaining wall to collapse at Neriya, inundating nearby residential pockets.

Tributary overflows at Putrabailu and Laila severed the Belthangady-Killuru road link, officials said.

The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) set up 24x7 control rooms across taluk headquarters to coordinate rescue and relief operations.