Heavy rain disrupts City life

Mangalore Today News Network

Bangalore, May 16, 2012: Heavy pre-monsoon showers, accompanied by hail and heavy wind, disrupted life in many parts of the City, uprooting trees and electric poles and triggering traffic jams that left commuters stranded.

 

The temperature dropped by 11 degrees, from 33.5 degrees celsius in the afternoon to 21.8 degrees in the evening, in a span of two hours. According to the Meteorological department’s reading at 11:30 pm, the Bangalore City received 37.5 mm rain, accompanied by wind travelling at 47 km per hour. As per the forecast, more rain is expected in the coming days. The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) recorded heavy rainfall at Uttarahalli, K R Puram, Varthur and areas around Lalbagh.

V S Prakash, Director of KSNDMC said:  “There are places which received heavy rainfall for just 15 minutes causing maximum damage. These pre-monsoon showers are here to stay and are expected till May 23.”

The evening showers, which brought the much needed respite from the sweltering heat, also spelled trouble for residents of low-lying areas, as rainwater inadvertently seeped into the houses and shops. Traffic jams occurred on Old Airport Road, MG Road, Ulsoor Main Road, KG Road, Magadi Road and Mysore Road.

Trees were uprooted near the Lavanya Theatre in Halasuru, while an electric pole fell near the Yediyur Lake. Water logging disrupted traffic flow on St John’s Road, Nagasandra, Jayanagar 8th Block, Richmond Circle, Banashankari II stage and Gavipuram Guttahalli. 

Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board received over 150 complaints regarding drain blockage and manhole overflowing, sources said.