Three dead in landslide in Dakshina Kannada, heavy rains continue unabated in Mumbai

Mangaluru/Mumbai: Three laborers were killed and one injured after a landslip at Mukkuda in Panjikallu of Dakshina Kannada district, said Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Rishikesh Sonawane. The dead has been identified as Biju, (45) from Palakkad, Santhosh (46) from Alappuzha, and Babu (46) from Kottayam. Another labourer Johny (44) is injured and under treatment. The labourers, from Kerala, were working as rubber tappers.

On Wednesday late evening, large amount of mud collapsed on the house in which the workers were staying at Mukkuda in Panjikallu.

The four were trapped under the debris. Fire and Emergency Services personnel, villagers, and senior officials including Deputy Commissioner Dr. Rajendra KV rushed to the spot for rescue operation.

While Biju died on the spot, two others died later in the hospital taking the death toll to three.

Dakshina Kannada district is witnessing heavy rain for the last few days.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Udupi indicating heavy to extremely heavy rains.

Meanwhile, Mumbaikars had no respite from heavy rains which continued to lash the city for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, delaying local train services on the Central Railway route following a wall collapse on a track, officials said.

The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall in the city and suburbs with very heavy to extremely heavy rains very likely at isolated places on Thursday.

The IMD has also predicted the possibility of occasional strong winds reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, a civic official said.

While there was no water-logging on rail tracks in Mumbai, a small portion of a wall collapsed between Masjid and Sandhurst Road stations in south Mumbai on the down (north-bound) track of the Harbour Line, affecting train operations on the route for some time, a Central Railway official said.

The suburban services were delayed by a few minutes, due to heavy rainfall in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane district, he said.

The Western Railway said its "train services were running normal", but some passengers complained of trains on the route running late by a few minutes and overcrowding in coaches.

The island city (south Mumbai) received 82 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours, while the eastern and western suburbs received 109 mm and 106 mm downpour, respectively, a civic official said.

There was no major water-logging anywhere in the city, barring some low-lying areas like the Andheri subway, sources said.

Due to good rainfall in the catchment areas of reservoirs supplying water to the city, their levels improved up to 19 per cent on Thursday morning, a civic official said.