Orange alert as B'luru braces for 3 days of heavy rain

Disaster authorities have issued a heavy rain alert for the city for the next three days, even as several districts in the state are reeling under floods.

An orange alert has been issued to all civic agencies in the city, including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP), to be prepared for heavy rainfall till October 25. The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC) forecast that rainfall in the city may cross 124.5 mm.

G S Srinivas Reddy, director, KSNDMC, said, “The city is expected to witness heavy rainfall in the next three days due to low pressure over the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal near Chennai. It will cause heavy rainfall in Bengaluru, Chikkaballapura, Kolar and other neighbouring districts. We have already issued alerts to all the departments to be prepared.

On Monday, the city witnessed moderate rainfall in the evening, accompanied by familiar traffic chaos. Flooded flyovers and underpasses and slushy roads made commute hellish for motorists. Two-wheeler riders were seen taking shelter along roadside in the unexpected rainfall.

The northern and southern parts of the city witnessed moderate rain. Alur of Bengaluru north recorded 53 mm rainfall followed by Hesarughatta (39), KG Halli (37.5), Hemmigepura (37) Dasanapura (28), Koramangala (27.5), Kengari (24.5), Sarakki (24), Huskuru (23), and Gopalapura (18.5).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and gusty wind, with speed reaching 40-50 kmph, are likely to occur over the state till October 23.

The IMD said in a release, “The low pressure area over east central Arabian Sea with the associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 4.5 km above mean sea level persists. It is very likely to become a well-marked low pressure area during the next 24 hours and is likely to concentrate into a depression during the subsequent 24 hours. It is likely to initially move north-northeastwards over east-central Arabian Sea till October 24 and then west-northwestwards with gradual intensification.”