Heavy rains wreak havoc in Udupi district
Two injured after lightning strikes
Standing crops of banana, areca damaged
Udupi, May 22: Heavy rains that lashed in almost all the district except Karkala and Hebri taluks, with gusty wind and thunderbolt on the wee hours of Tuesday, wreaked havoc in the district. One person was killed and another injured in the lightning, while standing crops in Byndoor, Kundapura, Brahmavar and Udupi taluks were damaged.
The rains started in the midnight lasted for hours. Because of the heavy rains with gusty wind, the banana plantation and other crops in several acres in Kundapur and Byndoor taluks were damaged. As the lightning struck four to five houses, a woman in Herga village and a boy at Kodangala village sustained injuries and admitted to a hospital. However, one cow and a dog died after lightning struck them at Haluvalli in Karje gram panchayat limits.
It is said that the coastal Karnataka is receiving heavy rains because of the depression in Arabian Sea since Monday midnight and continued till Tuesday morning. Many houses were damaged as the trees were uprooted on some houses in Kundapur and Byndoor taluks.
Kundapur
A house belonging to Sham near Kodi at Kasaba hobli was partially damaged when a coconut tree fell on it, incurring a loss of Rs 50,000. A cement roof of the house of Jalaja Shedti in Yeyyadi-Matyadi was damaged due to heavy wind and the damage is estimated at Rs 25,000.
In Gopadi, three houses belonging to Jaya, Rukku of Molahalli and Raghuram Kanchan were damaged and together estimated the loss of Rs 43000.
Bijadi
Several houses in Bijadi were damaged in the rains. Houses belonging to Srinivasa Ganiga, Jyoti Poojary, Chandu and others were damaged either due to felling of trees or landsliding. In Kollur, a house was completely damaged when a tree fell on it and the loss was estimated at Rs 80,000, according to official sources.
Byndoor taluk
The roof of the house of Raviraj Shetty of Kudrukod in Navunda village was damaged along with water tank, incurring a loss of Rs 35,000. In the same village, the house of Sanjeev Shetty was also damaged when a tree fell on it and the damage is estimated at Rs 24,000 and Yadtare Nagesh Bhandary house was also damaged incurring a loss of Rs 15,000.
In the same way, the house of Kuttappan of Udayanagar in Mudhur was also damaged when a tree fell on it and the loss was estimated at Rs 80,000. The house of Jagannath Shetty of Hirebettu village near Hiriyadka was also damaged partially causing a loss of Rs 50,000.
Banana crop damaged
Because of heavy rains, banana plantations and other crops were damaged in Kundapur taluk. As the banana plantation of Manju Madivala of Hardalli Mandalli in the taluk, a loss was estimated at Rs 80000. More than 500 banana plants in the plantation of Ramanand Sherigar of Byndoor were completely uprooted causing a loss of over Rs 2 lakh. In the same way, more than 200 banana plants of Sridhar Ganiga of Teggarse were also damaged causing a loss of over Rs 1 lakh.
Rain details
In the last 24 hours, the district has received a good rainfall. The highest of 28.9 mm rain was recorded in Udupi, followed by Kundapur 15.5 mm and Karkala 6.7 mm rainfall.
Woman, boy injured
As lightning also struck in the region along with heavy rains and wind, a woman and a boy who were sustained injuries, were admitted to hospitals. One cow and a dog were killed. Sugandi Sherigarti (35), daughter of Appi Sherigarti of Kallagudde sustained severe burn injuries on her neck and back and admitted Manipal KMC hospital. When the lightning struck at around 3.30 am on Tuesday, Sugandi Sherigarti, her sister Sukanya Sherigarti and Krishna Sherigar who were sleeping were unconscious. However, Sugandi is recuperating. The intensity of the lightning was so much that gold chain of Sugandi was melted. Blankets and clothes were burnt. Mirror was damaged, wall developed cracks and the electric wires were also melted in the lightning.
When the house of Sananda Nayak of Kodangala was struck with lightning, his son Sandesh (14) sustained injuries and he was admitted to Udupi government hospital. The electronic goods and electric materials of Dinesh Shetty of Vakpadi in the taluk were also damaged.
Because of the lightning, power connection and electronic materials of Bhaskar Shetty of Haluvalli near Brahmavar were damaged. A cow and a dog were also died in the incident.
Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat visited the house of Bhaskar Shetty and assured of getting the compensation from the government.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
