Bengaluru sees severe waterlogging, cops clear drains with bare hands | Video | Bengaluru

Bengaluru city on Tuesday saw thunder with heavy rain in several areas, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting more to come even as neighbouring state Maharashtra, and Gujarat brace for cyclone Biparjoy’s impact, which is expected to make landfall on Thursday evening.

Several areas including the Karnataka capital’s Whitefield saw severe waterlogging, inundated streets and the resultant congestion, with traffic cops forced to clear drains themselves to allow vehicular movement and bring back normalcy. Bengaluru became infamous for the flooding it experienced last monsoon season, when employees had to resort to hitching a ride on tractors to reach their workplaces.

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Bellandur traffic police shared visuals of the inundation on Tuesday, writing, “Good evening sir, slow traffic movement in ecospace due to water logging at ecospace and Bellandur, and advised drive carefully and use alternative road.”

Sujeetha Salman, Bengaluru South DCP for Traffic later shared a video of police officials clearing the drains with their bare hands and collecting materials causing the blockage with the help of traffic cones. “Water logging cleared with the help of our staff,” she wrote on Twitter.

A Twitter user called ‘Namma Whitefield’, representing the federation of residents and residential welfare associations in the area, also shared videos of the waterlogging, writing, “Flooding again tonight on Whitefield Main Road, near Nexus Whitefield Mall, Varthur Kodi. Govt unable to fix the drains?”

Rajarajeshwari Nagar also saw heavy rain on Tuesday.

Other Twitter users also shared videos of the city reeling under the rain that signified the start of the monsoon.

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The IMD issued a thunderstorm warning at isolated places over the state till Friday with wind speed reaching 40 to 50 kmph. It also issued a fisheries warning, saying, “Squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely along and off Karnataka Coasts during next 24 hours. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea.”

For Bengaluru, the IMD said the city may see light to moderate rain or thundershowers towards evenings or nights, with surface winds likely to be strong at times over the next 48 hours.