Rain cools and heats too...

Rain cools and heats too...
Even as rain brings down temperatures in B’lore, it throws traffic out of gear and uproots trees
APARNA JOSHI


Heavy rains lashed the city for more than two hours on Wednesday evening. The downpour, accompanied by lightning and thunder, brought down mercury levels in Bangalore, which was reeling under severe heat.
The city had witnessed rains on Tuesday evening too. The rain, which began with a drizzle, started pouring heavily late evening, throwing traffic out of gear in many areas of the city.
Traffic was chaotic in central business district, particularly Brigade Road, Kasturba Road and adjoining areas, with the holiday crowds thronging the area.
The BBMP control rooms were flooded with telephone calls complaining of power cuts, falling trees and water clogging.
According to sources in the BBMP, HBR Layout and the surrounding areas bore the maximum brunt of the rain with more than seven trees being uprooted in the second, third and fifth stages.
Complaints about water clogging also poured in from NGEF Layout, R T Nagar, Sanjaynagar, OMBR Layout and Matadahalli in Bangalore North. Drains and manholes were clogged due to the sudden downpour.
A BBMP control room official said people had complained that garbage strewn on the roads fell into the storm water drains resulting in clogging.
Meanwhile, Met department B Puttanna said since it is summer, temperatures will keep rising and these rains are just a temporary respite.