MANGALORE, July 20, 2013: The temple town of Kukke Subrahmanya was cut off for the eighth time this monsoon with the bridge going under six feet of water at 3 pm on Friday, putting devotees and students to severe hardship.

V Rao, a villager, told TOI there was expected since it was pouring continuously in the past three days. "The bridge over Kumaradhara river went under water at 3pm and till 8.15pm the water was still above six ft from the bridge level,'' he said.

As it was Ekadashi, several devotees had arrived the temple town. Those who had to reach Gundya (the main exit point towards Hassan, Bangalore on NH48) which is 23 km away from Kukke, had to take the Puttur-Uppinangady route which is more than 100 km. The other shorter route of 80 km is the Kadaba-Uppinangady route, but not many dared to take this as the Hosamatha bridge is also prone to submersion when Kukke bridge goes under water.

However, the worst affected were the students as schools and colleges ended at 4pm, an hour after the bridge submerged. The students who had to reach their homes a few km away from Kukke had to hang to overcrowded private vehicles to reach their homes by a circuitous route.

Rainfall in Dakshina Kannada district in the last 24 hours ending 8.30am (in mm): Savanuru gram panchayat (GP) 44; Tannirapantha GP 43; Koila GP 39; Bilinele GP 35; Dharmasthala GP 34.50; Hosabettu GP 31.20; Padangadi GP 31; Songabettu GP 28.50; Kallamundkuru GP 27.20; Koyyuru GP 24; Ajjavara GP 10.50; Kanyana GP 99.50; Markanja GP 98.50; Aletti GP 80; Aithoor GP 78.50; Harihara Pallatadka GP 76.50; Shishila GP 75; Kodambadi GP 67.50; Kolnad GP 59.50; Badagayedapadavu GP 54.50; Naravi GP 54; Yenmuru GP 53; Indabettu GP 49; and Aladangadi GP 46.50mm.
 

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 20, 2013.