Rain leaves trail of destruction

Rain leaves trail of destruction

Deccan Herald

Residents of apartments located in low-lying areas of the City had to bear the brunt of the downpour as rain water flooded their homes.


The downpour on Friday evening has left a trail of destruction in Bangalore. Two persons, including a woman, were reported to have died in the heavy rains that lashed the city for more than three hours.

A 65-year-old Dhanamma died in low-lying Sampangiramnagar area, apparently after her house was flooded with rain water. Her relatives said the ailing victim was alone at the time of rain and she died after suffocation.

However, BMP officials said the death was not due to flooding.


In another incident, the body of 35-year-old unidentified man was found in a storm water drain near Pipeline Road, Rudrappa Garden in Chamrajpet on Saturday morning.

Police suspect that the man might have died after slipping into the drain. The body has been sent for autopsy to Victoria Hospital to ascertain the cause of death.

Residents in low-lying areas and apartments were badly affected as gushing water flooded their places. Most low-lying areas in the southern and eastern parts of the city were flooded. Rain water entered into basements of many apartments damaging parked vehicles.

Nearly 100 houses in Jogupalya were inundated. Several houses in Corporation quarters, Austin Town, Neelasandra, Thippasandra, Ittamadu, Cooks Town, Frazer Town, Tannery Road, Shantinagar, Indiranagar II stage, Rajajinagar VI stage, and other low-lying areas were also flooded. Fearing a major accident, many residents have vacated their places.

Residents in many apartments were put to hardships for many hours on Friday as overflowing water engulfed their areas. “Rain water has filled the basement and the entrance was blocked. Nobody could move in and out of the apartments for several hours,” Mr Bansiraj, a resident of Nandhi Enclave apartments in Banashankari II stage, said.

Sewage-mixed water contaminated a drinking water tank at the apartments. Though the apartments have been experiencing flooding for the last many years, BMP had turned a blind eye, he said.

Even many posh apartments on Bannerghatta Road were hit by the downpour. “All four blocks of Mantri Terrace apartments in J P Nagar were surrounded by water that overflowed from drains. Several vehicles were damaged and residents were stranded as a result,” Ms Sukanya Bhadri, a resident, complained.

Similar was the case with many other apartments in Indiranagar II stage, Cambridge Layout, Domlur, Jayanagar and Padmanabhanagar.

According to flood-affected people, drains, both big and small, got choked, resulting in overflowing of water.

In fact, Friday’s rain exposed BMP’s shabby desilting work. BMP Chief Engineer Rame Gowda had claimed that 80 per cent of desilting of small and shoulder drains were completed.

Many trees were uprooted and over 100 electric poles were brought down in various parts of the city. In many places, roads and footpaths too were washed away.

WATER WORLD

Over 100 electric poles toppled.
Many areas continue to suffer blackout.
16 trees uprooted, branches of 80 trees cut.
Houses flooded in as many as 40 areas.
Several apartments’ basements flooded.
Light showers received on Saturday.