Kundapura : A seven-year-old girl accidentally slipped from a wooden footbridge and is feared drowned in Chakra river at Maranakatte in Chittur village near Kollur in Udupi district on Friday.

Vismaya Devadiga, daughter of Shekhar and Jalaja Devadiga, was walking on a wooden bridge to cross the river when she slipped and fell. She was on her way to school with her mother and was walking a few steps ahead of her when she slipped. Since the river was in spate, nothing could be done to save her.

On receiving the news, the local residents covered the gates of vented dams and bridges on the way with nets, to trace the girl. Fire and Emergency Services personnel rushed to the spot to trace the girl.

Meanwhile, heavy rain lashed the district. Low-lying areas and fields were inundated with rain water. The area behind Mathura Chatra and Bannanje in Udupi city were flooded.