Bengaluru received very heavy rainfall on the night of Wednesday, 19 October, leading to urban flooding in several low-lying areas. Accompanied by thunder and lightning, the incessant rainfall also caused damage to infrastructure and vehicles in the city.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert and has termed 2022 the wettest year on record in the city.
No Respite From Rain for Bengalurians
Bengaluru woke up to a rainy Thursday, with several areas in the eastern, southern, and northern parts of the city being flooded. The rain, which started lashing the city limits the previous night, has left several areas, such as Mahadevapura, Bellandur, Yemaluru, HAL Layout, HSR Layout, Guttahalli, Shivajinagara, Sultanpete, Jayanagara, Hebbala, and even Yelahanka, inundated.
In Bommanahalli's Anugaha Layout, water entered several houses on the night of 19 October, and residents had to wait till the next morning to get it pumped out. More than 50 houses have been affected by knee-deep water.
Bengaluru has received 170.6 centimetres of rainfall this year, making it the wettest year to have been recorded. The data was measured on 15 October, following which the IMD issued a yellow alert in Bengaluru Rural and Urban till the night of 23 October.
A basement complex in VV Puram, several apartment buildings in Yemaluru, and residential areas in Bellandur were water-logged. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike began the draining process early in the morning and has assured to help residents cope with damages.
In Bengaluru's old town, several vehicles were stranded on roads due to water-logging. The owners of cars and two-wheelers had a difficult time removing their automobiles from places where water levels kept rising.
In Sultanpete and Shivajinagar, two-wheelers were stuck inside the water for more than seven hours. Residents and shopkeepers living nearby also extended help by trying to shift abandoned vehicles to a safer place.
According to the Meteorological Department, the northern part of Bengaluru received around 59 mm rainfall, while the eastern parts of the city – HAL Airport, Mahadevapura, and Doddaanekundi – received 80 mm of rainfall on 19 October 2022.
The rains in the city, which is receiving twice as normal rainfall this year, have also adversely affected infrastructural projects that are under development.
A wall built at the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) construction site near the Janata Dal (Secular) office collapsed, damaging seven cars and two motorbikes.
Nobody was injured in the incident and the two people who were in a car parked nearby had a narrow escape.
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