In Karnataka's capital, Bengaluru, torrential rains poured for more than six hours overnight on Sunday, May 18th, and Monday, May 19th. Social media buzz with claims that this is the heaviest rainfall Bengaluru has seen this year. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert for the city.
The impact on everyday life is severe, with streets turning into rivers and homes getting uncomfortably wet. People are struggling with these challenges. The Karnataka government has directed the administration to accelerate relief efforts in the affected areas. Fire force rescue teams are using boats, JCBs, and tractors to evacuate residents to safer grounds. Click
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showcasing the current situation.
According to the Karnataka State Disaster Monitoring Cell, Kengeri recorded the highest rainfall at 132 mm. Vaddarahalli in North Bengaluru came second with 131.5 mm. Many areas reported over 100 mm of rain overnight. Measurements taken by the local meteorological center at 8:30 AM on Monday showed an average rainfall of 105.5 mm in Bengaluru over the past 24 hours.
Flooding was rampant across the city’s various locales, particularly around the popular Silk Board Junction, Bommanahalli, and HRBR Layout.
The bustling Silk Board Junction was submerged, and a household in HRBR Layout experienced flooding.
Post overnight rain, Bommanahalli region faced a landslide.
Bengaluru city police issued traffic advisories due to waterlogging towards the Ayyappa Temple on New BEL Road, towards Nagavara Bus Stop in Sarai Palya, and from Allalsandra to Yelahanka Circle in Northern Bengaluru.
Janta Dal (Secular) criticized Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development and Town Planning Minister DK Shivakumar.
The opposition party deemed him 'ineffective' in his ministerial role for Bengaluru. JD(S) further accused the Congress government and Shivakumar of failing the city's residents, who battle inundated homes, clogged drains, and sewage issues, while even a brief rain turns roads into lakes. JD(S) termed the government's response to these woes as negligent.
A social media post criticized, "Even two years into power, the Congress government has failed to fix Bengaluru's potholed streets. By succumbing to garbage mafia for commissions, you've turned the Garden City into a trash city. This reflects government mismanagement." It added, "Greater Bengaluru and Brand Bengaluru are merely shells. Major beneficiaries of this plundering scheme are none other than the Congress party and its affiliates."
Source: aajtak
The JD(S) remarked that government contributions to urban development are non-existent, tarnishing Bengaluru’s global reputation in the process.
Former Minister and BJP legislator Sunil Kumar Karkala weighed in on social media, remarking the Congress party is celebrating while ‘massacring’ the city's infrastructure.
Source: aajtak
Meanwhile, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw suggested in a social media post that ELCITA (Electronics City Industrial Township Authority) should be appointed to maintain all industrial zones in the city.
Source: aajtak
Tagging the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), veteran entrepreneur Mohandas Pai, and Minister MB Patil, Mazumdar-Shaw mentioned that ELCITA could train the BBMP staff for ward maintenance.