Sinkholes Appear, Demand for WFH, Thunderstorm Likely for 48 Hrs: Morning After Intense B'luru Spell

Bengaluru recovers from yet another spell of intense rain and severe flooding. Heavy overnight downpour on Wednesday brought the IT city to a halt once again uprooting trees and damaging infrastructure. Some respite however as the city has not reported fresh rainfall.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, there is a possibility of a few spells of rain or thundershowers for the next 48 hours, per Times of India. The city has been receiving heavy spells of rain for the last few days. The deluge last month led to large-scale destruction of properties in the city and several offices had asked their employees to work from home.

The city may get much needed respite from the rain next week due to a low-pressure area over Bay of Bengal, reports TOI quoting the IMD.

Citizens Face Nightmarish Struggle

Heavy overnight rains led to severe flooding on Thursday. Roads turned streams and water left cars floating in parts of Bengaluru. People were forced to experience similar nightmarish struggle they endured recently, caused by showers and inundation.

Normal life was thrown out of gear and many parts of the city were flooded while a compound wall of the Metro Rail collapsed and cars parked close by came under mounds of rubble, according to officials.

The busy Shivajinagar neighbourhood resembled a river washing away cars and bikes. People struggled to keep their belongings safe. Water entered several houses in nearby Ramnagara district as well and the residents were evacuated to safer places.

Suburban residential and commercial areas in and around the Outer Ring Road, badly hit a month ago due to heavy rains, remained largely unaffected during the current spell of rain. According to civic officials, the recent anti-encroachment drive minimised the damage, reports PTI.

Civic Apathy Exposed

The cracks in the infrastructure of the state was exposed yet again after heavy rains. Several roads across the city caved in and sinkholes appeared in many areas including Pattegarapaya, Okalipuram and Banaswadi that could prove fatal.

Waterlogging, incidents of tree fall, damage to civic infrastructure and power outage were reported from various areas and the 70 mm rainfall brought the city to its knees. An ATM of a private bank at Silk Board was completely submerged. There was Rs 17 lakh cash in the machine, sources told PTI.

Repeat of Last Month’s Deluge

Last month, torrential rain had left India’s IT capital struggling, leading to a public outcry over governance and infrastructure issues. Visuals of IT workers travelling in tractors to reach workplace amid heavy waterlogging in the city had gone viral, forcing IT firms and startups to allow staff to work from home.

Bengaluru city has received 170.6 centimetres of rainfall so far this year, the highest since records began, Deccan Herald said in a report earlier. The city witnessed second wettest monsoon season in the past 50 years.

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