Bengaluru: In some much-needed respite from the relentless summer heat, Bengaluru received intense thunderstorms Saturday evening. Gusty winds under cloudy conditions towards late afternoon eventually paved the way for moderate to heavy rain over parts of east, north and west Bengaluru by evening.
Besides leaving traffic in complete disarray, the rain forced Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) authorities to divert 20 flights including two international ones to Tamil Nadu.
The three-hour downpour turned out to be both a boon and a bane for residents of Yelahanka Old Town, Sahakarnagar, Rajanukunte, Thanisandra, Jakkur and Hebbal. While many rejoiced and took to social media to share pictures of the downpour, the rain brought misery as water gushed into several buildings. More than 10 houses in Yelahanka Old Town were flooded, forcing people to wade through knee-deep water to clean up the mess. Lakshmi S, a resident of the locality, said, “Every year, we face this problem. The stormwater drains are either clogged or blocked. We’ve been complaining to BBMP, but nothing has changed.”
Ganesh R, who runs a small shop in the area, expressed his anger, saying, “The drains are full of silt, and no one cleans them before the rains start. Who will compensate for my loss?”
The rainfall data (till 6.30pm) from different parts of Bengaluru highlighted significant variations. While northern areas of the city experienced the heaviest downpour, parts of west and south Bengaluru saw moderate rain, resulting in localised flooding. Hagadur and Vidyaranyapura both received 31mm rainfall.
Flights diverted
The impact of thundershowers wasn’t confined to just roads; it was also felt on air travel. Kempegowda International Airport authorities had to divert 20 flights — 18 domestic and two international — to Chennai and Coimbatore. Airlines issued advisories urging passengers to check on flight status before heading to the airport. “Due to adverse weather conditions in Bengaluru, flight operations are impacted, resulting in air traffic congestion,” Air India said in a statement.
Authorities slammed
Venting their ire on civic authorities, Bengalureanss took to social media platforms to highlight the state of the city’s infrastructure. Some mocked the civic authorities, while others shared visuals of what they called the first rainbow of the year. Nara Dharmendra Reddy (@NaraDharmendra) sarcastically posted, “It didn’t even rain. Just bacha (small) rain and see the waterlogging.”
Similarly, Citizens Movement, East Bengaluru posted, “Finally, the rain god has mercy on Bengaluru! The first rain of the year brings much-needed relief from the sweltering heat. However, true to tradition — a small rain and Bengaluru is already drowning.”