Devastation, anger, and gloom in Kurubarahalli in west Bengaluru was apparent, even as dark clouds continued to hover around on Saturday. The congested area still bears the scars of Friday night’s rains — bodies being recovered, houses damaged, garbage strewn around, and thick layers of sludge residue in homes.
On Saturday morning, the bodies of three people (of the priest and the couple) were recovered, while National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) continued to search for the mother-daughter duo who were reported missing after the night’s rains.
The body of the priest Vasudev, 32, was found in Kaverinagar, about a kilometre from where he was reported missing. He is believed to have fallen through a collapsed pavement and drowned in the swirling currents.
The bodies of Kamalamma, 42, and her husband Shankarappa, 52, who died when a wall in their backyard in Kurubarahalli collapsed on them, were also recovered on Saturday. They are survived by three children. “The second daughter was to be married in less than a month,” said a resident. The State government has announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for the victims.
Meanwhile, personnel continued to search and clean the drain where Lingamma, 55, and her daughter Pushpa, 27, are reported to have been washed away. Relatives said Lingamma was originally from Yediyur and has two other daughters — Shobha and Meenakshi.
With more rains forecast, officials attempted to clear the drain and build a temporary bund to ensure water does not overflow. A bevy of local and political figures came to the site, and residents vented their ire against apathy which they believe has caused these accidents.
Among those who spent the day surveying the loss was Pushpa, 55, a domestic help, and her husband, Chandrasekhar, 60, a dog-walker. Water gushed from a nearby drain into their house, even reaching up to 6 ft inside. Everything was covered in a dense layer of sludge. “Everything in our house is ruined. All our documents have been washed out. Our ration is spoilt,” she said.
For 33-year-old Ashwini, her sole source of income, a spinning mill to fashion clothes, has been ruined. “We are so scared that the house will collapse at any moment. We have already lost machines, television, and books,” she said.
Landlord is refusing to return deposit: kin of missing women
Amidst the gloom of having her mother and sister missing, Shobha has to deal with a landlord who is refusing to let them vacate. While disaster management personnel continue to search for the bodies of Lingamma and Pushpa, Shobha and Meenakshi fear that their house will collapse. “We do not want to stay here anymore. But, we have no money. The owner is refusing to return our deposit saying that we have to stay here for three months more,” said Ms. Shobha.
Relief camps
With more rain forecast, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has asked residents of Kurubarahalli and those living close to storm-water drains to move to higher ground until the skies clear. Meanwhile, three camps — Manjushree Kalyana Mantapa, Kurubarahalli Govt School, and Kurubarahalli Yoga Kendra — have been set up in the area to distribute food to the residents whose houses have been damaged.
Protest
Residents of Marathahalli and neighbouring areas staged a protest and formed a human chain for over 2 km demanding better civic amenities. They held placards and stood on the footpath, without disrupting vehicular movement. The roads are riddled with potholes and electricity poles often are damaged causing frequent power cuts. The residents demanded that the BBMP improve basic infrastructure and threatened to intensify their protest if the Palike failed to do so.
