BENGALURU: The rain that ruined Bengalureans’ Sunday unleashed its fury on Monday too, a working day, throwing life out of gear in the city.
The rain that started around 5 pm continued till late night. The city received 20.4 mm up to 8.30 pm.
The control room of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was flooded with calls about uprooted trees and water entering homes in low-lying areas.
Traffic jams and non-availability of cabs and autos were the order of the day. Adding to people’s problems, some areas had to go without power.
Cases of trees falling were reported near the CCB office on Mysore Road, Vikram Hospital, Srirampuram, Malleswaram and Domlur.
A child received minor injuries when a tree fell on the car in which she was travelling near Vikram Hospital on Miller’s Road. Fire Department officials said that there were four occupants in the car and all of them were taken to the hospital.
Rainwater entered houses in low-lying areas such as Horamavu, BET College and Subbayyana Palya. Some residents had to take leave from office to bale out water from their flooded houses.
The forecast is rather gloomy: the city is expected to receive heavy rain over the next 24 hours, according to IMD acting director Geetha Agnihotri.
This is because of a trough of low pressure over Telangana and Lakshwadweep area.
Sunday Havoc
The city received 37.1 mm rainfall between 8.30 pm on Sunday and 8.30 am on Monday. On September 6 last year, the city, however, witnessed only traces of rain.
The heavy rain made many areas inaccessible. The BBMP control room received complaints of waterlogging in many areas.
De Magry, from HRBR Layout Residents’ Social Forum, said that at 9 pm on Sunday, a tree fell damaging a car belonging to his neighbour, parked outside their house. “BBMP staff came at 11 pm and cut the trees till 1am. After that, they dumped the branches and other debris on the roadside.
“As the tree fell partly on electric wires, BESCOM disconnected power. It has been more than 15 hours, and we are yet to get power supply.” He said around 100 houses on first D cross and first C cross too have been without power too.
Flooding was another major issue. At Rajarajeshwarinagar, water flooded the cellar of an independent house in Ideal Homes Layout. Ajith Ramesh, resident, said that the cellar was flooded in the night. “The BBMP officials came at 10.30 pm and removed water till 1.30am.”
At Hegde Nagar near Nagawara, water gushed into 10 houses. A resident said that despite repeated calls, their councillor did not respond. “We have a woman councillor from the Congress. When we tried calling her number, her husband said she was at a meeting,” he said.
Incidents of trees falling were also reported from HRBR Layout, Kumaraswamy Layout, Udaynagar, near Ashoknagar police station, Sahakaranagar, Girinagar, Basavanagudi, Rajarajeshwarinaga and Kuvempunagar.
BBMP has identified ‘Samparka Bandhu’, a communicator, in low-lying areas to inform the officials about flooding in the areas. BBMP Administrator T M Vijay Bhaskar told Express that they have identified 76 low-lying areas which are vulnerable points. “In these areas, our officials have identifed a Samparka Bandhu, local persons who will inform the engineer concerned about flooding or other rain-related woes. It will be easier to attend to complaints,” he said.
Rain in Catchments: The catchment areas of rivers Kali and Sharavathi received rainfall, IMD actor director Agnihotri told Express.
“Shivamogga received 7cm of rain. The catchment areas are likely to receive more precipitation,” she said.