73-year-old rescued after being stranded in swollen Kapila River in Beltangady

73-year-old rescued after being stranded in swollen Kapila River in Beltangady

Mangalore Today News Network

Beltangady, July 30, 2026: A 73-year-old man stranded in the middle of the Kapila River at Badigudde in Shishila was rescued by the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Shaurya Disaster Management team after the river swelled due to heavy rainfall.

The elderly man, identified as Balappa (73), was caught in the strong currents after the water level rose sharply. Local youths spotted him stranded in the river and immediately alerted the Shaurya disaster management team.

Rescue personnel Radhakrishna Guttu and Ramesh Bairakatta, along with expert local swimmer Mohana Gowda Badrijalu, rushed to the spot. Balappa was found trapped between two branches of the Kapila River, about 900 metres downstream from the Shishileshwara Temple vented dam.

The rescue team fitted him with a life jacket and safely brought him to the riverbank using ropes. Umesh Kukke, Rupesh Baipadi, and Dinesh Badigudde also assisted in the operation.

Meanwhile, heavy rains continued to batter Beltangady taluk on Wednesday, causing the Netravati River to swell. In Ujire, overflowing roadside drains inundated sections of the national highway, disrupting traffic and inconveniencing commuters.

Residents blamed the flooding on incomplete drainage work along the highway. They said plastic waste and debris had clogged the drains, preventing rainwater from flowing freely. Locals have urged the authorities to clear the blocked drains and complete the pending drainage works to prevent further flooding.