Shivamogga: Three members of a family, including a three-year-old child, were killed after a rain-triggered landslide buried their makeshift house in Shivamogga district early on Sunday, even as relentless monsoon showers continued to wreak havoc across Karnataka’s Malnad and Kodagu regions.
The tragedy occurred around 2.30 AM in Indira Nagar, Thirthahalli town, when a hillock collapsed following incessant rainfall. The debris crashed onto a shed where the family had been staying, leaving them trapped under tonnes of mud and rubble.
The deceased have been identified as Mallikarjun (35), his wife Nagaveni (28), and their three-year-old son Santosh. The family hailed from Kokkaregaru village in the Gangavathi taluk of the Koppal district and had reportedly moved to the region for work.
Personnel from the police, fire and emergency services, and residents launched a rescue operation soon after the incident. Rescue teams had to struggle for several hours to retrieve the bodies from beneath the mud. The operation was carried out amid continuous rain, making the task even more difficult.
People staying in a neighbouring shed also sustained serious injuries after the landslide. They were rushed to the Jayachamarajendra Hospital in Thirthahalli for treatment. Their condition is being closely monitored, officials said.
Police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the incident. Authorities are also assessing the stability of the surrounding area and identifying vulnerable locations as heavy rain is expected to continue over the next few days.
The landslide is one among several rain-related incidents reported from Karnataka as the southwest monsoon intensified across the Western Ghats. Continuous downpours have triggered flooding, waterlogging and disruption of normal life in several districts.
In neighbouring Kodagu district, rising water levels submerged the Bhagandeshwara bathing ghat, Triveni Sangama and nearby parks at Bhagamandala. The Bhagamandala-Talakaveri road was inundated, forcing commuters to use the flyover for movement.
‘Avoid travel, remain alert’
Several low-lying bridges across Kodagu have also gone under water, affecting connectivity to villages. District authorities have urged residents living near rivers, streams and landslide-prone hillsides to remain alert and avoid unnecessary travel during periods of heavy rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast more rain over the Malnad and coastal districts, prompting the administration to keep disaster response teams on standby. Officials have appealed to the public to immediately report any signs of hill cracks, soil movement or rising water levels to local authorities.
