IN PICTURES | No relief from rains for Bengaluru as death toll rises to six

City civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike along with the National Disaster Rapid Force and the State Disaster Rapid Force intensified search and rescue operations and formed three teams.

A school boy taking books where a mother and daughter were washed away at Lurubarahalli. (Express Photo Service | Nagaraja Gadekal)

BENGALURU: As heavy rains continued to wreak havoc on Bengaluru city with water flooding through streets, today, a 16-year-old girl was washed away in an open drain in CV Ramanagar behind Bagmane Tech Park. The death toll in the city due to rains has now gone up to six.

The incident happened on Sunday morning when the girl, Narasamma, went for defecation next to the drain. The locals, who witnessed the incident, rushed to her rescue and located her body about 400 meters away after hours of search.

Yesterday, city civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) along with the National Disaster Rapid Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Rapid Force (SDRF) intensified search and rescue operations. The corporation also evacuated people living in low-lying areas where the deaths had happened.

Residents at Kendriya Vihar apartments Kogilu are not able to get out of their apartment complex due to waterlogging. (Express Photo Service | Jithendra M)

The rescue personnel, today, recovered a body of a 22-year-old Pushpa, who along with her mother had been swept away in an open drain nearby their house in JC Nagar Kurubarahalli on Friday, from Kumbalagodu Rajakaluve.

Police have recovered the body of Pushpa who was washed away in the stormwater drain at Laggereat. Her body was found in Kumbalgodu. (Express Photo Service | Nagesh Polali)

A fire official said three teams who were in the search operation recovered Pushpa’s body at 11:30 am on Sunday, two days after she was washed away when the heavy downpour hit the city.

The efforts to search Pushpa’s mother are still on.

The priest of a temple near Kurubarahalli Circle, Vasudeva Bhat  was swept away in a stormwater drain after water gushed inside the temple on Friday. His body was recovered yesterday, the police said.

Priest Vasudeva Bhat's body was recovered from a drain. (Express Photo Service | Nagaraja Gadekal)

Meanwhile, on Saturday, Siddaramaiah and Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George who toured around the rain-affected areas faced the ire of the residents, who said there was no one around to save them when water entered their houses.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inspecting the spot where people went missing in the drain. (Express Photo Service | Nagaraja Gadekal)

A drain along the busy Hennur Cross junction is completely open, highlighting the danger pedestrians fduring heavy rain. On Friday, five people were washed away in such drains. Residents say they have complained to the authorities and the area's MLA, KJ George himself, but to no avail.

The open drain along the busy Hennur Cross junction poses threat to pedestrians. (Express photo Service | Nagesh Polali)

The fire department was also busy trying to pump out water to unclog water-logged areas and roads. In many areas, water was seen overflowing into buildings.

Fire department at work in inundated places following heavy rains. (Express Photo Service | Pushkar V)

Deaths caused by Potholes and poor roads were a huge issue in Bengaluru and the heavy rains only added to the worry. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah had earlier ordered for all potholes to be taken care of in 15 days.

Potholes post the rain are posing a huge threat especially to pedestrians and motorcyclists. (Express Photo Service | Nagesh Polali)

The poor condition of roads has also severely affected traffic.

Road caved in Vyalikaval following the heavy rains. (Express Photo Service | Pushkar V)

Opposition parties slammed the lacklustre work of the ruling government. BJP state unit president BS Yeddyurappa, who visited the rain-affected areas blamed Siddaramaiah for the deaths.

Mayor Sampath Raj who has been visiting Kurubarahalli and other places since Friday night said that the Meteorological department has predicted heavy rains for the next two to three days.

(With inputs from PTI and Express News Service)