BENGALURU: Heavy rain which lashed Bengaluru on Thursday night left around 300 houses in five areas flooded with drain water, other areas water-logged and at least 10 trees uprooted across the city. When filthy water began flowing into their homes around 8pm, residents of Banashankari and Kamakya Layout, around Vidyapeeth in Bengaluru South, spent the night clearing water. Besides, 20 households in Ganesh Mandir ward, 30 houses in Chikkasandra, 150 houses in Uttarahalli area of Bommanahalli zone were also flooded with water from the storm water drain. These areas lie on either side of the storm water drain which runs below Outer Ring Road.
With 73mm of rain descending on the area around Vidyapeetha in just half-an-hour, the drain began overflowing into the houses in Ward 183, Kamakya Layout, and Ward 165, Banashankari 3rd Stage. BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta visited the area around 11pm for an inspection. Led by Joint Commissioner, South Zone, Jagadish Nayak, a team of more than 100 workers, equipped with earthmovers and tractors, began to clear water and silt, which took almost 24 hours.
“Our road and houses were flooded, with water rising to 4ft. Household appliances like refrigerators, washing machines and other items are spoilt. We couldn’t sleep or cook,” said Rajesh, a software engineer who lives on Banashankari 1st Main Road. A wholesale drug distributer Chaithanya E shared, “We’ve lost medical supplies worth at least Rs 15 lakh, as the godown of SK Enterprises was flooded with drain water,” he said. R Sumathi of Millet House in the area, said she had lost millets worth Rs 1 lakh.
Rainwater accumulated in Pramoda Layout, Mallathahalli, Golf Club in Bengaluru East and Doddanekkundi in Mahadevapura zone. Besides clearing the water-logged areas, BBMP staff also provided food and drinking water to residents.