BANGALORE: Hundreds of houses in low-lying areas were flooded following the heavy rain that pounded the city on Thursday evening. Anepalya was the worst hit with water gushing into several houses. At LR Nagar and Neelasandra too, hundreds of houses were flooded, according to corporator Lokesh Nayak, who visited the affected areas.
The rain also badly affected business at Shivajinagar and other areas. At Russell Market, traders complained that rain water mixed with the animal waste dumped nearby had entered the market, turning the premises into a stinking mess.
“In all, horticulture produce worth `8 lakh were damaged in the rain. My friend is in debt now. Like him, many traders have suffered losses,” said Mohammed Idrees Chaudry, general secretary, Russell Market Traders’ Association.
When contacted, District in-charge Minister Ramalinga Reddy said, “As soon as the rain increased in intensity, I rushed to the BBMP (Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike) control room to find out the extent of damage. On Friday, I will carry out an inspection in the city.”
He said the silt-clearing drives had been carried out in advance. “But there are a few areas still pending. I will ensure that the cleaning takes place at the earliest.”
Mayor Shantha Kumari visited the Gali Anjaneya temple and directed the authorities to clear out the water and debris at the earliest. She later visited Ranganatha Colony near BHEL to assess the damage there.
“When I visited the temple, the water from the Kempambudhi Lake, instead of flowing into the Vrishabhavati valley, had flowed into the temple. At Ranganatha Colony, there was about four feet water in most of the houses. There is a stormwater drain in the vicinity, and though a retaining wall should have been constructed, there is no such thing,” she said.
Meanwhile, Puttanna, director of the Indian Meteorological Department, Bangalore, told Express that there is an upper-air cyclonic circulation in the Kanyakumari area, due to which, the air has been filled with moisture from the ocean, and this has resulted in the incessant rains of the past few days. “Just today, the level of the cyclonic circulation has risen, leading to a higher intensity,” he said.
Puttanna said the state is likely to receive rain next month as well with the advent of the north-east monsoon.