IMD issues red alert for thunderstorms, hail in parts of Karnataka
Bengaluru, Mar 25 (PTI): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for thunderstorms with hail in isolated areas of Uttara Kannada, Dharwad, and Shivamogga for three hours on Tuesday.
The warning predicts thunderstorms with maximum surface winds reaching 41-61 kmph in gusts.
Meanwhile, a video from Padiyani near Yemmemadu in Kodagu district, showing people picking up “ice cubes” that fell during the hailstorm, is circulating on social media.
According to the IMD, between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on March 25, Gadag recorded the highest rainfall at 17.6 mm, followed by Dharwad (8.4 mm), Davanagere (3.0 mm), and Karwar (0.2 mm).
On Tuesday, the maximum temperature ranged from 31.9 degree celsius in Kodagu to 38.6 degree celsius in Kalaburagi, while Bengaluru recorded temperatures between 33.3 degree celsius and 34.8 degree celsius.
For Bengaluru, the 12-hour forecast predicts a partly cloudy sky, with maximum and minimum temperatures expected to be around 33 degree celsius and 22 degree celsius, respectively.
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Watch: Tusker rescued from 20-foot well in Sullia after 16-hour operation
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Mangaluru (PTI): A lone tusker that had fallen into an abandoned 20-foot-deep well in Dakshina Kannada district was successfully rescued after forest officials constructed an earthen ramp, allowing the animal to walk out safely, officials said.
The incident occurred when the elephant, aged about 30 years and roaming in the forested Sampaje range of Sullia taluk in the Western Ghats, accidentally fell into the well in the early hours of Monday and was rescued at around 4 pm the same day, they said.
Initially, when the operation began, officials suspected it was a calf. But midway through the rescue, as it made its way out, they realised it was actually an elephant.
The animal remained trapped inside the well for nearly 16 hours before being rescued, officials added.
Huge relief, the elephant is out of the well.
— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 13, 2026
The animal has moved into nearby plantations instead of heading back to the forest. Forest teams remain on high alert.#ElephantRescue #Karnataka https://t.co/ZCLU6COXTv pic.twitter.com/begPVx1oki
According to officials, acting swiftly, the Karnataka Forest Department created a gradual ramp from the bottom of the well to ground level using earth-moving equipment, ensuring a safe exit path for the animal.
After spending about 16 hours inside the well, the elephant walked out safely using the ramp and disappeared into the nearby forest, officials said.
A wild elephant trapped in a well in Peraje, Sullia. Rescue underway. Forest officials on-site for hours, digging to bring the animal out safely. Prayers for the gentle giant. #elephants #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/GZ7yp7pA8q
— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 13, 2026
Forest department officials told PTI that the tusker did not sustain any injuries despite the fall and remained healthy and alert throughout the operation.
They monitored the animal as it climbed the ramp and returned to its natural habitat.
The timely intervention prevented any harm to the elephant and highlighted the swift response of the forest team in wildlife rescue operations in the Western Ghats region, which is known for human-elephant conflict incidents.
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