A man slipped and fell into a waterfall before being swept away by the current while filming an Instagram Reel in Karnataka’s rain-battered Udupi district Sunday evening.
The man has been identified as 23-year-old Sharath Kumar, from Bhadravathi in Shivamogga district. The incident, captured on camera by the man’s friend, took place at the Arasinagundi waterfalls, located just 6 km from Kollur village.

In a video that is now viral on the internet, the man can be seen standing on a rock overlooking the waterfall, swollen after heavy rainfall in the state. The man then lost his balance and in an instant, fell into the waterfall before disappearing under the roaring waves.

The police and emergency services soon reached the spot to carry out a search and rescue operation, however, the man’s body could not be recovered. The rescue operation will continue today, the police said.

Torrential rains have pounded Udupi district in the last couple of days, inundating several areas. The Nandavara, Aladka, and Gudina areas near Bantwal taluk were the worst hit, with water entering homes and forcing residents to flee.

The active southwest monsoon has triggered a flood scare in Karnataka, as many small streams have overflowed and inundated low-lying areas.

Following heavy rainfall, authorities have declared a holiday for schools and colleges in nine districts of Karnataka: Belagavi, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Hassan, Shivamogga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Kodagu.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in all three coastal districts of Karnataka: Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, and Uttara Kannada.