At least one person has been killed and five missing in the debris after an under-construction building collapsed in Babusapalya on Tuesday, October 22, following heavy rain that has lashed Bengaluru for the past four days. A total of 14 people have been rescued so far. Rain is expected to continue until October 24, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for heavy rain, thunder and lightning.
KR Puram MLA Byrathi Basavaraj has stated that officials fear more workers may have lost their lives in the building collapse. Workers from different states are still trapped, and rescue operations are in full swing, he said.
Police personnel are involved in the rescue operations for the time being and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been called in to cut through the debris. Two rescue vans have also been dispatched.
Several areas across Bengaluru saw severe waterlogging with water entering homes and apartment complexes owing to the heaviest the city has seen in a 24-hour period in October in 27 years. Until 8.30 am on Tuesday, Bengaluru received the highest rainfall it has seen in a 24-hour period in October since 1997.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) observatory recorded 186.2 mm of rainfall until 8:30 am on Tuesday, surpassing the previous 24-hour record of 178.9 mm in 1997 for the month of October.
Some of the worst affected areas were in Yelahanka and Vidyaranyapura in northern Bengaluru and Chowdeshwari Nagar in western Bengaluru which received 141.5 mm, 109mm and 57mm of rain respectively in 24 hours until 8.30 am on Tuesday, even as it continued to rain through the day.
Kogilu Lake in Yelahanka, near Kendriya Vihar Apartment complex in northern Bengaluru, overflowed, and authorities deployed boats for rescue operations. The apartment complex was inundated with two to three feet of water, damaging numerous vehicles.
There was significant waterlogging in other areas in northern Bengaluru such as Jakkur, Kodigehalli, and Horamavu.
In Kodigehalli, the GKVK compound wall collapsed, and water entered a nearby apartment complex. The basement of Kaiser Residency was also flooded, and vehicles were submerged in the Sahakar Nagar underpass.
According to media reports, more than 100 homes were flooded in Austin Town, Shantinagar, where residents voiced concerns about the malfunctioning stormwater drainage system.
In Sarjapur, in the south-eastern part of the city, Rainbow Drive Layout, a community known for recurring floods during the monsoon, residents experienced waterlogging.
Homes in HSR Layout and along the Outer Ring Road were also flooded.
The city’s lakes, filled to capacity, overflowed, becoming a significant concern. Rescue operations are underway at Kengeri Lake to search for two children believed to have been washed away by the rain on Monday evening.
According to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Yelahanka reported more than half cases of water stagnation on roads and water entering homes in Bengaluru with 106 and 1030 cases. The total number of water stagnation on roads and water entering homes in Bengaluru were 232 and 1066.
Vehicle traffic
Traffic movement across the city, including on the Outer Ring Road, was severely impacted. In northern Bengaluru, three underpasses in Sahakarnagar, Thindlu, and Bhoopasandra were closed by the traffic police on Monday night due to flooding. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike got workers to de-water several waterlogged underpasses overnight.
Bellandur Traffic Police reported slow-moving traffic near Ecospace Junction due to waterlogging on Tuesday. Other affected areas included Sarjapur Road, Mysuru Road, Hebbal Junction, and the Satellite Bus Stand.
Buses and trucks struggled to navigate waterlogged roads.
Other affected areas included Srinivagilu Main Road and 80 Feet Road, with diversions caused by a fallen tree near Jayanagar General Hospital. Traffic was also slow near Mariyappanapalya Skywalk and Panathur Railway Underpass.
Flight disruptions
Air travel was also disrupted due to the rains. Kempegowda International Airport saw 20 delayed arrivals, with several flights, including those from Delhi, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, and Bangkok, being diverted to Chennai.
Floods across the state
Several parts of Karnataka such as Haveri, Gadag, Shivamogga, Chitradurga, Davangere, and Ramnagara, saw heavy rains on Monday and Tuesday, leading to flooding.
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre has issued a flood alert for low-lying areas downstream of Tungabhadra Dam, where outflow is expected to increase due to heavy rainfall in catchment areas.
More rain in Bengaluru
The IMD forecasts moderate rain or thundershowers for the next 48 hours, with temperatures ranging between 20-29 degrees Celsius. Bengaluru City is expected to receive 17.1 mm of rain, while areas near Bengaluru International Airport and Bengaluru HAL Airport are predicted to receive 42.7 mm and 36.3 mm, respectively.