Sea erosion has intensified near Malpe Beach and has damaged the road, made using interlocking tiles, towards Thottam, here. A large number of interlocking tiles were washed way as strong waves lashed the road on Tuesday. The strong waves are now threatening to damage a small bridge on the road to Thottam. Mohan Kanchan, who works as beach guard at Malpe, said that the intensity of the waves had been increasing in the area in the last couple of days. Meanwhile, the Fisheries and Ports Division has begun placing boulders to arrest the damage and protect both the road and the bridge. T.S. Rathod, Executive Engineer of the division, said that sea erosion had not been reported from the Malpe Beach area in the last 13 years. As the sea waves had washed away interlock tiles of the road, the division had placed about 45 truckloads of stone boulders to protect the road and fill a cavity, which had formed under it. We are also giving priority to protecting the small bridge, he said. Meanwhile, sea erosion has affected about 250 metres of land at Gangolli village, 75 metres of land at Kodibengre, 100 metres of land each at Maravanthe, Hosahithlu and Mannur Padukere, 80 metres of land at Kalihithlu and 60 metres of land at Udyavara-Padukere village. The division had been placing stone boulders at all these places with emphasis on those areas where houses are located so that they are not damaged due to erosion. Udupi city received 92.5 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours ended at 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday, while Kundapur and Karkala towns received a rainfall of 122.9 mm and 110.8 mm, respectively.
2016, The Hindu