Bengaluru Rains: Severe Waterlogging Brings City To A Halt, Residents Rescued Using Boats

Karnataka's Bengaluru has been reeling under heavy rainfall leading several areas to be waterlogged on Monday with massive traffic jams reported from across the city. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru late on Sunday received 131.6 mm of rainfall, just short of breaking an eight-year-old record. On September 26, 2014, Bengaluru received 132.3 mm of rainfall.

Rescue, relief work underway

As roads turned into lakes, inflatable boats were sent to rescue residents near the Balagere-Panathur road which flooded as storm water drains clogged.

Two SDRF teams with 30 personnel each have been deployed to the IT corridor regions of Mahadevapura and Bomanahalli region of South East Bengaluru to carry out relief work, says Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai.

"Wherever water is collected on the roads instructions have been issued for it to be drained out," Bommai said on Monday following reports of waterlogging at 30 places in the city - mostly in the southeast IT corridor region.

Flooding in many areas

A massive traffic jam was caused on Marathahalli-Silk Board junction road in Bengaluru amid severe waterlogging.Several areas in Mahadevpura and Bommanahalli have reported flooding during the heavy rains. The IMD has issued a yellow alert in the city and in several districts in Karnataka, and has warned of heavy rains until September 9.

Also, the Rainbow Drive Layout in Sarjapur, Outer Ring Road, Varthur, and K R Puram were left severely inundated. Complains of flooding also came in from several other areas like Bilekahalli, Madiwala Lake Road, Silk Board Junction, R R Nagar, Nandini Layout, Hebbal, Hennur, Kengeri, Sanjaynagar and Banaswadi.

Bengaluru city police has also issued traffic rerouting updates on Twitter amidst severe waterlogging.

Helpline numbers issued

The city’s civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has also issued helpline numbers. The BBMP also has a 24×7 helpline (2266 0000) and WhatsApp helpline (94806 85700), along with zonal helpline numbers. The toll free number 1533 is also reported to act as the rain helpline.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bommai has said that the government would talk to IT companies and discuss compensation for losses due to rain-related damages.

"We will call the IT companies and speak with them related to the issues that they are facing due to waterlogging. We'll also discuss the compensation and other related damages that have been caused due to rain," Bommai told ANI. It comes after the IT companies asked the Chief Minister to solve the outer ring road issue.

Severe effects of heavy rainfall

Water supply from River Cauvery to Bengaluru will be affected as the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) pumping station in Mandya district is completely submerged due to heavy rains, as per Times of India.

Flight services were disrupted at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) after heavy rains in Bengaluru. Six flights heading to Bengaluru from various destinations were diverted to Chennai Airport, as per The Hindu. The flights diverted include two international flights.

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