Mangaluru: Karavali witnessed widespread rainfall accompanied with thunder and wind on Wednesday evening. People suffering from the sweltering heat of the summer gladly welcomed the cool showers. The rains brought a new life to plants and trees, withered by the summer heat.

Most locations in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts received moderate to heavy rainfall. Mangaluru city got normal rainfall in the evening.

Mulki, Kinnigoli, Haleyangadi, Surathkal, Moodubelle, Sullia, Bellare, Puttur, Bantwala, Vitla Kadaba, Belthangady, Mondaje, Ujire, Ullala, Mudipu, Venoor, Kanyadi, Belalu, Kaniyuru, Bellare Moodabidre, Madyantar and Machhina received good rainfall.
Udupi district too received good rainfall with thunders. Udupi city, Manipal, Kundapura, Padubidre, Hebri, Bhramavara, Tekkatte, Kumbhashi, Haladi, Siddapura, Kota, Moodubelle, Malpe, Shirva, Karkala, Ajekaru and Bajagoli received good rainfall with thunder.

The atmospheric depression in the Arabian Sea is moving towards the Northwest direction; hence its influence around Karavali is expected to reduce drastically from Thursday evening. Due to this depression, rainfall accompanied by thunder is possible along Karavali and the southern inlands for a day or two.

Lightning and winds accompanying the rains caused disruption in electricity supply in and around many parts of D.K. and Udupi districts. Some places did not receive electricity way into the midnight. There was some problem with the main lines and repair works were in progress. Also many electricity supply poles were uprooted. The electricity supply disruption began in the evening around 6:40pm, said sources from Mescom.

Bhagya Rakshita reserve forest near Kaikamba in Kadaba has been witnessing a raging forest fire since Tuesday and the fire has destroyed acres of forest land. Though the forest fire which began in the reserve forest on Tuesday near Mulemane area was brought into control by the night by the forest department personnel along with the support of the villagers, the fire raged till Wednesday morning. In the afternoon, this area received good rain fall, thus assisting in completely extinguishing the forest fire.

Various places in Belthangady Taluk received rainfall for 50 minutes. This continuous rainfall submerged roads near T.B. Cross, Janardhan School, Anugraha School, Mundaje Somantadka and Nidigal Bridge causing trouble to motorists.

Strong winds caused a tree branch to break off from a tree and land on the road near Agaragandi in Maninalkuru village. This led to a bike rider falling and injuring himself at Kumble. The injured has been identified to be Ramesh, son of Puappa Poojary of Tingaladi. The injured has been admitted at a hospital in Mangaluru.

Heavy rains caused trouble to ‘Genda Seva’ that was taking place at Kundabarondadi Bobbarya temple near Katbelturu in Kundapura. After finishing the ‘Daiva Seve’ the devotees had just begun to walk on the red hot coals when it started raining. This was a famous ‘Genda Seva’. Hundreds of devotees had arrived to witness and take part in this ‘Seva’. Strong winds further played spoil sport by ripping of the roof sheets of the makeshift kitchen.