Kurubarahalli residents recount rain horror

Widespread destruction as drain's water level rose; many areas inundated

The city woke up to a dull and gloomy Saturday following the devastating rainfall of Friday night that killed eight people, including the five who lost their lives in North Bengaluru’s Kurubarahalli.

Friday was a nightmare for people living close to a stormwater drain in Kurubarahalli.

Rainwater water filled with sewage has fully submerged at least 30 houses in the locality.

While Venkatappa and his wife Kamalamma died after the compound wall of their house collapsed, the house of Mahesh, right next to the stormwater, is in a pathetic condition.

All household articles — refrigerator, television set and other appliances — were damaged as water gushed into the house. Even until 3 pm on Saturday, he could do nothing as there was no water supply.

But he is happy that his son survived the catastrophe. “I was away when it rained. My son was alone in the house, preparing for his exams. Some of our neighbours called him out just before the water level rose and that’s how he escaped from the jaws of death,” Mahesh said.

Adjacent houses were also damaged as water reached the first floor. Pushpa M S, who has been living in the locality for the past 30 years, was furious that no official came to her rescue. “When we saw the water level rise quickly, we ran to the first floor to save our lives. Never have we seen this kind of rain. These officials come only after someone loses their life. No precautions will be taken until then. Everything has been destroyed,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) started removing silt from the stormwater drain in Kurubarahalli.

“The height of the retaining wall will be raised and all those affected by the rain will be sheltered,” Bengaluru Development Minister K J George said. The BBMP has made arrangements at Manjushree Kalyana Mantapa, Kurubarahalli Government School and a yoga centre. “They will be provided with food and blankets. The relief cheques will be issued at the earliest,” BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said.

The situation isn’t different in other parts of the city. The water level was 2-3 feet at the following places on Saturday: Laggere, Rajajinagar, Mahalakshmi Layout, Nandini Layout, Vijayananda Nagar, SNK Layout, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Ullal, Malleswaram, Yeshwantpur, Mathikere, Maruthinagar, Mysuru Road and Deena Bandhu Nagar.

A seven-foot-deep crater has formed in MS Layout near Vijayanagar after the earth caved in. Similar cases were reported from Vyalikaval and Sajjan Rao Circle.

Residents blamed the BBMP. “This is because of the poor roadworks. This road was repaired recently but it caved in after the rain,” said Muniyappa, of Vyalikaval.

Gali Anjaneya Swamy temple near Deepanjali Nagar and Shobha Theatre near Bapuji Nagar continue to be waterlogged. Two large trees were uprooted on Mysuru Road and Rajajinagar.