Overnight rain leaves Bengaluru waterlogged, IMD predicts more showers

A spell of heavy overnight rain brought Bengaluru to a standstill on Friday, 19 September, leaving several low-lying areas waterlogged and choking traffic on key stretches across the city. The downpour, which began late Thursday, continued intermittently through Friday morning.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city recorded 65.5 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours ending at 5:30 am, with the city’s Automatic Weather Station reporting 66 mm.

Surrounding regions also received significant rainfall — Doddaballapura logged 60 mm, Chandurayanahalli in Ramanagara 46 mm, and Hessarghatta in Bengaluru Rural 43 mm.

A yellow alert has been issued for Bengaluru, with forecasts of light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph at isolated spots. Similar alerts are in place for Vijayapura, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Tumakuru, Kolar, and Chikkaballapura.

Rainfall was widespread across Karnataka. Data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) showed Kanagamakalapalli in Chikkaballapura district receiving the highest rainfall at 130 mm, followed by Tirumani (114 mm), Beechaganahalli (114 mm), Chelur_1 (101 mm), and Bhandarkumtha in Bidar district (112 mm). Gadag received 51.9 mm, Tamaka in Kolar 21.5 mm, Mangaluru 20.7 mm, while Gulbarga Observatory reported dry thunder.

The IMD cautioned that heavy rain could lead to temporary power cuts, waterlogging, and falling of weak tree branches. “Take safe shelter; do not stand under trees. Unplug electrical appliances immediately. Stay out of water bodies and avoid objects that conduct electricity. Drive with caution,” the advisory stated.

The unrelenting rains have also worsened Bengaluru’s perennial pothole problem, creating fresh craters and adding to the woes of commuters, particularly two-wheeler riders navigating waterlogged roads.

With PTI inputs