The city and the State got respite from the stifling heat of the past few weeks as storm clouds drenched most parts of Karnataka on Thursday.
While a cyclonic depression in the Arabian Sea had seen rains hit the coastal areas on Wednesday, the weather system enveloped south Karnataka on Thursday.
In Bengaluru, the south and west areas received the highest rainfall. In Kengeri, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre’s rain gauge measured up to 56mm rainfall following an intense spell on Thursday.
As with most rains, the city’s infrastructure was tested. While traffic came to a halt at major junctions, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) was flooded with more than 3,550 calls as electricity supply was affected in multiple places.
Coastal Karnataka, which had been battered on Wednesday with KSNDMC measuring nearly 120mm of rainfall in Belthangady in Dakshina Kannada district, continued to receive heavy rain, especially towns on the foothills of the Western Ghats. Mangaluru city, however, got some respite.
On Thursday, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve received copious rainfall, and so did the fire-prone forest areas in Mysuru and Chamrajanagar districts.
Sundar M. Metri, Director, India Meteorological Department, expected rainfall to continue till Saturday. “It will get lower in intensity in the coming days,” he said.
