Normal life disrupted as rain batters Bengaluru; five deaths reported so far

Commuters struggled to navigate through knee-deep water in several parts of the city. Pic/PTI

Bengaluru has experienced heavy rainfall in the past 36 hours, bringing normal life to a standstill on Tuesday. Heavy traffic jams were reported across the city and residents were seen wading through knee-deep water. According to PTI, the rain-related toll went up to five in the state.

The Sai Layout area continued to resemble an island due to the torrential rains. The homes on the ground floor were submerged partially in water, leaving residents trapped indoors. Authorities reported that around 150 people were rescued and relocated to safer places on Monday. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) provided food and drinking water to those affected at Sai Layout. However, residents, criticising the civic authorities, claimed that the officials showed little concern for their hardships.

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In Hennur, another rain-hit area, an orphanage faced severe flooding. Rescue teams from the Fire and Rescue Department, along with the Disaster Response Force, evacuated the occupants as the premises were inundated.

Commuters struggled to navigate through knee-deep water in several parts of the city, including areas near Manyata Tech Park, which is home to several multinational offices and the Silk Board Junction. The continuous downpour also led to the formation of new potholes, increasing the risk for motorists.

Waterlogging caused widespread traffic congestion, leaving vehicles stranded across Bengaluru.

As per reports of PTI, two people, including a 12-year-old, were electrocuted while trying to drain rainwater that had entered an apartment in the city, police said on Tuesday.

According to Mico Layout Police, 63-year-old Manmohan Kamath, a resident of Madhuvan Apartment in NS Palya near BTM 2nd Stage, attempted to use a motorised pump on Monday evening to remove water that had entered his home. "When he connected the pump to a socket, there was a short circuit, leading to his electrocution," a police officer involved in the investigation said. He further added that Dinesh (12), son of a Nepalese man, who worked at the apartment complex, was standing near Kamath, was also electrocuted. Both were declared dead by doctors at a hospital. The station head confirmed that both the cases have been registered under Unnatural Death Reports (UDRs).

Another case was registered within the limits of Mahadevapura Police Station on Monday when a compound wall fell on Sasikala (35) while she was sweeping at a company.

Two people died of lightning in Raichur and Karwar, officials said.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru has received about 30 mm rain in the last 24 hours. The city was flooded with record rain of 105 mm on Sunday night and Monday morning. Heavy rains were observed in several parts of Karnataka, especially south Karnataka, coastal and Malnad region. Mangaluru, the district headquarter town of Dakshina Kannada, recorded 90 mm rain in the last 24 hours. Orange alert has been declared in Bengaluru by IMD and yellow alert in various other places across Karnataka on Tuesday.

An orange alert means very heavy rain of 11 cm to 20 cm, and a yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm. IMD Bengaluru Centre Director N Puviarasu stated that an orange alert has been issued for Bengaluru due to anticipated rainfall of eight to 10 cm, which is likely to have a significant impact on the city.

"The amount of rainfall we are receiving is nothing for rural areas. But because cities like Bengaluru are concretised mostly, and thus blocking the outlets for water drainage, we have issued an orange alert so that authorities can prepare accordingly," he said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued weather alerts for multiple districts across Karnataka as heavy rains continue to lash the state. According to the IMD, areas likely to be affected today include Bagalkot, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Belgaum, Chikkaballapura, Dharwad, Gadag, Kolar, Koppal, and Vijayanagara districts.

A yellow alert has been sounded in Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Dharwad, Bengaluru Rural, and Bengaluru Urban districts, indicating the likelihood of heavy rainfall between six cm and 11 cm.

The IMD has forecast light to moderate rain and thundershowers accompanied by lightning and gusty winds at isolated places in the affected districts over the next 24 hours. In light of the weather conditions, the IMD has appealed to residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. "Take safe shelters. Do not take shelter under trees. Unplug electrical electronic appliances immediately. Get out of water bodies immediately. Keep away from all the objects that conduct electricity," the bulletin read.

(With inputs from PTI)