With rains lashing the city on Saturday, leaving a trail of uprooted trees and traffic jams, this April is turning out to be the wettest in over a decade. More than 35 trees were uprooted all over the city while at least four low-lying areas were inundated. Between 5.30 p.m. and 8.30 p.m., the Indian Meteorological Department recorded 35.6mm of rainfall. This takes the total rainfall received this month to 215.2mm, and with the drizzle continuing through the night, the figure is expected to exceed the 217mm received in 2011 to set a 10-year record. In perspective, the average rainfall for the month is just around 40mm.
Chaos in the city
In what has become the norm, the spell of rain immediately resulted in trees being uprooted, traffic snarls and power outages.
Five trees were uprooted on Cubbon Road while the busy Queen’s Road saw traffic disruptions after three trees fell, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike control room reported. Adding to the chaos was inundation of Anil Kumble Circle, K.G. Road, R.V. Road, Residency Road, Bannerghatta Road, among others. Even roads in front of the city’s pride – Vidhana Soudha and High Court – were under one feet of water. The traffic police blocked SC Road-KINO Theatre Road – which is a busy intersection between Anand Rao Circle and Seshadripuram – due to water logging in the railway underpass there.
Water was reported to have entered a few houses in Amarajyothi Layout in Domlur, K.P. Agrahara, Doddannekundi and Mahadevapura.
Services of the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) were hit after seven poles were uprooted. Control rooms received more than 2,391 complaints of interruptions in power supply.
