Half a century has passed since the devastating flood that inundated Bantwal and its surrounding areas on July 26, 1974. Coincidentally, the 50th anniversary of this flood also falls on a Friday. This flood was significant, although not as destructive as the one in 1923, whose centenary was marked last year.
While no photos from the 1923 flood are available, buildings and houses in the Bantwal-Panemangalore area still bear watermarks from that time, serving as a lasting reminder. Similarly, markings from the 1974 flood can be seen in the same areas, capturing the severity of the event.
The 1974 flood was documented in black-and-white photographs, which have recently gone viral on social media. Numerous areas, including Uppinangady, Bantwal, and Panemangalore, were completely inundated, with many thatched houses floating in the floodwaters.
Few witnesses of the 1923 flood remain, but the memory of the 1974 flood is still vivid for many. Photos taken by the late Dr. Narendra Acharya, showing the Bantwal city market area submerged in water, are still preserved. Those who experienced the 1974 flood assert that no similar flood has occurred since.