Rain brings Bengaluru to a halt yet again

Several parts of Bengaluru were flooded after heavy rains lashed the city between Sunday night and Monday evening.

Rainwater entered homes in low-lying areas in many areas of northern, eastern and northeastern Bengaluru. It was a familiar sight to see unmotorable roads and underpasses in the city's core.

At Byrathi, located off Hennur-Bagalur Road, overnight showers flooded parts of Blessing Garden Layout. A partially completed stormwater drain meant water gushed into nearly 40 homes across four blocks in the housing estate.

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Knee-deep water remained outside the houses and nearly one foot of water remained inside until Monday evening. Although the BBMP deployed a pump to extract water from homes, evening showers rendered the move ineffective.

Evening showers on Monday also rendered Siddaiah Road impassable. Waterlogging occurred outside the Urvashi Theatre, BW Lions Super Speciality Eye Hospital and H Siddaiah Referral Hospital.

John, who runs a shop opposite Siddaiah Hospital, said vehicle movement was affected after a half-covered drain overflowed. Traffic was affected for over an hour as water flowed on the roads, reaching almost knee-deep in some parts.

Yelahanka and the surrounding areas received 70 mm of rainfall and GKVK 30 mm.

The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) Bengaluru observatory recorded 26.1 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am, Monday. It recorded another 24 mm of rain from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm.

The Kempegowda International Airport observatory recorded 19.5 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am, Monday.

The HAL airport observatory, which represents the eastern and southeastern parts of the city, recorded only 1.2 mm of rainfall until 8.30 am, Monday. However, it recorded another 19.7 mm of rainfall in the later parts of the day.

The rain brought the temperature down. The maximum and minimum temperatures in the city were 31°C and 21.5°C, 2°C and 1°C lower than normal, respectively. The maximum temperature dropped by 3°C at HAL airport. KIA's maximum temperature was 31.4°C.

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) has forecast widespread light to heavy rains/thundershowers over the BBMP area for Tuesday.

The IMD's forecast until May 5 is generally cloudy with the possibility of one or two spells of rain or thundershowers. Partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers has also been forecast in some parts of the city for the next four days.