KARWAR: An explosion near the Indian Navy’s ammunition storage facility in Uttara Kannada district triggered panic on Thursday afternoon, with more than 30 houses in nearby villages developing cracks and residents reporting tremor-like vibrations.
The blast, which occurred around noon, sent thick plumes of smoke into the sky and caused doors and windows to rattle in Alageri, Mavina Keri and surrounding villages in Ankola taluk. Residents described the sound as “deafening” and said their homes shook violently. The exact origin of the explosion has not yet been confirmed, and naval authorities in Karwar declined to comment on the incident.
The Belekeri armoury, commissioned in 2015 under the Navy’s Project Seabird, stores critical ammunition and weaponry for warships and is considered one of the most sensitive and secure installations along the Karnataka coast.
Villagers alerted local authorities, following which the Kumta assistant commissioner and the Ankola tahsildar were informed. Ankola tahsildar Chikkayya Nayak said he had instructed revenue officials and police to immediately visit the affected areas, inspect the damage and determine the cause of the explosion and the structural cracks.
“Since I was out of town, I could not personally visit the site. However, officials have been directed to carry out a detailed assessment and submit a report,” Nayak said.
Door-to-door damage surveys were under way until Friday evening. Recounting the moment of the blast, a resident of Mavina Keri said, “The entire house shook as if there was an earthquake. We ran outside and saw thick black smoke rising into the air.”
