Flood, dread and tears: Bengaluru residents still trying to clear muck, filth left in its wake

Residents recount horror as heavy rain led to SWD breach which flooded their houses.

Residents hang clothes out to dry at Hosakerehalli. (Photo | Meghana Sastry, EPS)

BENGALURU: Three days after heavy rain led to a stormwater drain breach in Hosakerehalli on Friday morning, residents are still trying to clear the muck and filth it left in its wake. From flooded homes in Dattatreyanagar, Guru Dutt Nagar and Hosakerehalli, each has a horror tale to narrate.

Gayathri, like the others, locked herself into the safety of her house. But the door lock was jammed, and she had to sit on the highest point in her house, waiting for policemen to break open the door and rescue her. 

Bhagyashree, who works as a domestic help.

Bhagyashree hung on to a window, while her daughter stood on a cupboard, to save themselves from the swirling waters, until her son brought a tyre to get them out. She crawled out on to the roof with the help of her sari and the tyre, and immediately returned to save her daughter. Bhagyashree, who works as a domestic help, had struggled to buy books, shoes and smartphones for online classes for her children, studying in class 6 and 10. Everything got submerged. “How can I buy them phones and books when we don’t have basic necessities such as clothes?” she weeps. 

Ravi checking his two-wheeler. (Photo | Meghana Sastry, EPS)

Ravi, a delivery agent with Zomato, lives with his aged mother, wife and two kids. “When the water started rising, we decided to open the door, with no clue of the situation outside. The force of the water broke the door, and it was like the floodgates of a dam were opened. We started drowning, and I was wondering who to save first.

A woman leaves documents out in the sun to dry.

I grabbed my mother and wife by their heads bobbing in the water, but couldn’t spot my children. I somehow managed to find them all and dragged them to a corner near the door, and started screaming for help. Our neighbours on the first floor rushed to help us and that’s how we made it out alive.” His motorbike was also washed into the house, but with no mobility, he has lost his job. 

Yellama

Yellama, an aged woman who lives alone, wanders the streets of Dattatreya Layout, hoping that her grandson will come for her, but in vain. 

Lakshmi stood up with her 25-day-old daughter on her head, waited for help. Her neighbours came for her resue and now she is living with them.

Though Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced a compensation of Rs 25,000, it has reached very few of them. They spent the past two days washing and drying their belongings, desperate to get rid of the stink of drain water, and salvaging school books, documents and shoes.