Karwar: A 55-year-old woman lost her life in a tragic accident after a massive tree uprooted and fell on a parked car during heavy rain in Karwar city on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred near the entrance of Pikle Hospital, located close to the Deputy Commissioner’s office.

The deceased has been identified as Lakshmi Narayan Mamthekar, a resident of Mallapur. According to sources, Lakshmi had accompanied her pregnant daughter-in-law, who is one month into her pregnancy, to Pikle Hospital for a routine check-up. While her son and daughter-in-law were inside the hospital, Lakshmi waited in the parked car outside.

At around 1:45 PM, amid intense rainfall and strong winds, a 70-year-old tree near the hospital premises suddenly uprooted and fell on the vehicle. The heavy trunk severely damaged the car, trapping Lakshmi inside. The roof of the vehicle collapsed under the impact, causing serious injuries to her upper body and significant bleeding.

Local residents, fire and emergency personnel, and traffic police quickly arrived at the scene and launched a rescue operation. Using a crane and other equipment, they managed to cut through the fallen tree and extricate Lakshmi from the mangled car. She was immediately rushed to the district government hospital, but despite efforts by medical staff, she succumbed to her injuries.

The incident occurred on a busy sante (weekly market) day, with many bystanders present at the time. Three local traders who were nearby also sustained minor injuries.

The prompt action by traffic police in arranging a crane and coordinating the rescue helped prevent further casualties. However, the tragedy has raised serious concerns over the presence of old, decaying trees in urban areas—particularly during the monsoon season. The fallen tree also brought down four to six electric poles and a transformer, causing disruption to the local power supply.

Karwar municipal officials have since initiated operations to clear the debris and restore normalcy in the area.