Thursday showers cool Bengaluru, bring down trees, hit traffic

BBMP’s forest department officials claimed that no untoward incidents were reported, and cleared six uprooted trees and 27 branches slowing down traffic movement.

Rain brings vehicluar traffic to a standstill on a busy road on Thursday. (Photo | Allen Egenuse J, EPS)

BENGALURU: The clouds opened up on Thursday noon over Bengaluru city, bringing much-needed respite from the summer heat. The heavy downpour brought down 12 trees and at least 41 branches, and resulted in waterlogging which slowed down traffic in several parts of the city.

As per Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), an uprooted tree in Rajajinagar 2nd Block came crashing down on an SUV. Similarly, a huge tree was uprooted near Gokul Road in Mathikere. BBMP’s forest department officials claimed that no untoward incidents were reported, and cleared six uprooted trees and 27 branches slowing down traffic movement.

Rain started battering most parts of the city, including Koramangala, KR Puram, BTM Layout, Marathahalli, HAL Airport Road, Kadugodi, Banashankari and other areas, from 12.15pm onwards, as rain intensity increased.

As per Met Dept data, overall the city received 4.5mm rain, but IMD’s rain gauge at HAL Airport reported 38.8mm rainfall, while KIA reported 22.4mm rain on Thursday afternoon.

The downpour caused slow-moving traffic at Hebbal’s Bhadrappa Layout, Hebbal flyover, Tin Factory, Panathur Bridge in KR Puram, Kasturi Nagar and other parts of the city. Many areas were waterlogged, and roads, including Sarjapur Road, were flooded.

An SUV was damaged when a tree fell on it at Basaveshwara Nagar.| Allen Egenuse J, Express

Slow-moving traffic was reported due to a slushy road near Udupi Garden, BTM Layout, and waterlogging at Domlur water tank, toward Domlur Bridge. In Mahadevapura traffic police station limits, water leakage and rain on Belathur Cross Road towards Hoskote slowed down traffic. Madivala, Silk Board, MMT Junction near Ramamurthy Nagar, Kaikondanahalli and other parts reported traffic snarls.

BESCOM ON WHATSAPP

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd (BESCOM) on Thursday released 11 WhatsApp numbers for people to contact in case of emergencies and to submit complaints (with photographs and videos) regarding power disruption during the monsoon

Bengaluru Urban

South: 82778 84011

West: 82778 84012

East: 82778 84013

North: 82778 84014

Bengaluru Rural: 82778 84017

Ramanagara: 82778 84018

Kolar: 82778 84015

Chikkaballapura: 82778 84016

Tumakuru: 82778 84019

Chitradurga: 82778 84020

Davangere: 82778 84021