BENGALURU: Wednesday’s day-long spell of rain brought Bengaluru to a crawl, with several parts of the city getting waterlogged, and drainage systems once again coming under the spotlight as water entered low-lying areas. The 11.6mm of rain left residents wading through ankle-deep water in many neighbourhoods.
Traffic on major roads slowed to a near standstill during peak hours, as flooded stretches and pothole-ridden roads turned the evening commute into hours-long misery. Vehicles struggled to navigate waterlogged underpasses, and two-wheeler riders had to push stalled bikes through the slush. Pedestrians faced their own set of challenges, negotiating broken and slippery footpaths and muddy streets. The city’s already fragile infrastructure crumbled under the downpour, and stormwater drains overflowed.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), light rain is likely to persist for the next 36 hours, prompting a yellow alert that will remain in place until the weekend. The weather activity is being driven by a low-pressure area over west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal, coupled with an upper air cyclonic circulation affecting southern India.
On Thursday and Friday, light to moderate rain is likely in isolated pockets, with maximum temperatures gradually rising to around 28°C. The weekend forecast is similar, with light to moderate rain or isolated thundershowers and wind speeds of 30-40 kmph. Minimum temperatures are expected to hover between 20°C and 21°C, while maximum temperatures will stay between 27°C and 28°C.
As of 8.30pm Wednesday, the city recorded maximum temperature of 22.6°C and minimum of 19.6°C, with 11.6mm of rainfall and relative humidity at 95%. Bengaluru International Airport reported a warmer 24.7°C maximum and 1.1mm of rain, while HAL Airport logged 23.7°C and 11.4 mm rainfall.