Heavy rain rattles Bengaluru with long traffic jams, power cuts

Occupants of this car had a narrow escape after a tree and an electric pole fell on the vehicle on Dr Rajkumar Road in Rajajinagar. DH Photo/Pushkar V

Slow-moving traffic at Nandini Layout, Outer Ring Road. DH photo/M S MANJUNATH

A huge tree was uprooted at 17th Cross, Malleswaram, damaging a car and blocking vehicular movement. DH Photo/Pushkar V

Strong winds and heavy rain on Friday evening left Bengaluru severely damaged, especially in western and northern parts, with dozens of trees being uprooted and low-lying areas marooned.

The city received more than 35 mm of rainfall in less than three hours. Over 70 trees were uprooted and 22 electricity poles damaged until 9 pm, sources in the IMD said.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials received nearly 500 calls of trees uprooting and branches falling. "Over 70 trees have been uprooted and over 100 tree branches have fallen across the city,” a BBMP official said.

Western and northern parts of Bengaluru such as West of Chord Road, Rajajinagar, Kadu Malleshwara, Vidyaranyapura, Byatarayanapura, Rajmahal Guttahalli received heavy rain while other parts witnessed moderate rain. "Most of the tree falls were reported from the same areas,” the official added.

With wind speed touching 60 kmph, many large trees in and around Malleswaram, Ballari Road and KR Circle got uprooted, causing traffic jams for more than two hours.

Waterlogging

Waterlogging complaints were received from Esteem Mall, Hebbal flyover, KR Puram, Kundalahalli and KR Circle underpasses, forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles and cars wading through stagnant water. Due to tree falls, several areas of the city such as Hudson Circle, MG Road, Airport Road and Hosur Road witnessed traffic jams.

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) also received complaints of power cuts in as many as 20 different locations due to snapping of electricity lines.

Sources in the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) told DH that some parts of the city would continue to receive rain all through the night.