As the waters receded on Wednesday morning, the damage was apparent at S.T. Bed Layout in Koramangala, which was the worst-hit by the deluge that began on Monday night and lasted well into Tuesday morning.
Water tankers, honeysuckers and pumps littered the area, with black mulch piled in mounds in front of homes. On the footpath lay bedding, furniture and even mattresses, all spoiled when homes were flooded with rainwater.
Among those cleaning their homes was Narendra Pai, who had arrived early on Tuesday, on the occasion of Independence Day, to visit his 87-year-old mother. “Two truckloads of furniture and beddings have already been cleared,” he said.
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He recalled how he felt something was off at 5.30 a.m on Wednesday. Wading through waist-high water, he, his mother — whose foot was amputated years ago — and their dogs managed to make safely to the terrace. “We kept calling for help, but no one came forward. We sat on the terrace of our house for more than 12 hours for the water to reduce,” he said.
Houses close to a 40-foot-wide storm-water drain, which runs through the layout, bore the brunt of the damage as the retainer wall was breached at two points. At entrepreneur Khun S. Kumar’s house, which is adjacent to the SWD, sewage gushed in after the compound wall adjoining the drain broke. “Garbage and waste entered the house and blocked our gate. The force of water was so much that we could not even open the gate,” he said. As workers cleaned the house, the smell of sewage persisted.
The water level in the storm-water drain remains perilously high and residents are worried that one more rain could spell disaster. “I am afraid to sleep at night,” Mr. Kumar said.
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Recovering slowly
In other parts of the city too, residents are slowly recovering from the aftermath of the rain. In Wilson Garden, residents brought in pumps to remove water from basements. “Fortunately, there was less rain last evening so we were able to clear the water in the apartment by late night,” said Sharath, a resident.
The water level receded at Anugraha Layout, too. “We have been seeing this for the past 15 years, along with officials making empty promises,” said Malathi S., a resident. “For now, things are back to normal.”
There was so much frothing on Bellandur lake that the froth entered apartments and shops closeby. “There was froth flying into apartment complexes, coating all the plants in the garden, till [Wednesday] afternoon,” said Shalini Batra, a resident, adding that many had to keep their balcony doors shut to prevent froth from entering their home.