The forecast of more rains and overcast skies with slight drizzle since early Thursday morning, 8 September, has worried Bengaluru citizens who were preparing to get back to routine after some respite the previous day with the water levels in the flooded areas receding slowly.
Residents, of localities and apartments that were flooded, are making attempts to drain out the water and remove sludge from their houses and basements.
Some badly affected areas continued to remain in darkness without power supply and non-availability of drinking water, even as officials maintained that efforts were on to restore the supply by repairing the damages.
'Where is Tejasvi Surya?'
Meanwhile, Bengaluru South Lok Sabha member Tejasvi Surya has been heavily criticised by social media users accusing him of relishing a dosa and promoting an eatery in his constituency, when many parts of the city have been reeling under floods.
In a 40-second video that has gone viral, the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Yuva Morcha can be seen eating a masala dosa and upma at an eatery in Padmanabhanagar.
While there is no mention of when the video was shot, Congress national social media coordinator Lavanya Ballal claimed that it was from Monday, September 5, when most parts of the city were flooded. Sharing the video, she wrote, "Video dated 5th September. @Tejasvi_Surya was enjoying a good breakfast while Bangalore was drowning. Has he visited even a single flood affected region?"
Several Twitter users including actor and former Congress MP Ramya also shared the video and criticised Tejasvi.
Netizens also put up pictures of Surya with the word ‘Missing’ written on it, criticising him for his silence on the flood situation in the city.
Congress leader Siddaramaiah visited the rain-flooded Eco Space area of Bellandur Ring Road in Bengaluru and heard the problems of the local residents. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President Ramalinga Reddy was also present.
What’s the Prediction for the Day?
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), heavy rainfall is expected in a few places in coastal and south interior Karnataka on 8-9 September and in interior Karnataka on 9-10 September.
The Bengaluru City observatory recorded 251.4 mm of rainfall in the last four days, including 131.6 mm on Sunday, the highest 24-hour precipitation in September in 34 years, according to IMD data.
Between 1-7 September, Bengaluru Rural received 752.3 mm of rain, compared to a normal of 303.5 mm, a 148 percent increase.
During the period, Bengaluru Urban received a total of 840.2 mm of precipitation, compared to a normal of 313.2 mm.
While waterlogging on roads in most parts of the city are by and large clear, making way for the easy movement of vehicles, some stretches along the Outer Ring Road, Marathahalli, and nearby areas are said to be still facing some issues with vehicular movement with water still on roads.
Also, potholes continue to haunt the city's motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.
Some residents of flood-hit localities and apartments, who had moved out to safer locations to either relatives or friends' places or hotels, are getting back to their homes to assess the damage, and to carry out cleaning work.
Also, according to officials, restoring power supply to apartments whose basements are still waterlogged is not safe.
The Meteorological office in Bengaluru in its forecast on Thursday morning for the city for the next 48 hours has said one or two spells of light to moderate rain or thundershowers were very likely.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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