Even as Bengaluru’s roads are beginning to clear from the deluge on the night of Tuesday, May 17, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that more rains are in store for the city. The IMD’s local forecast for Bengaluru — published at 9 am on Wednesday — as well as for surrounding neighbourhoods, stated that there will be spells of rain or thundershowers in the 24 hours following the bulletin, and it is likely to be heavy at times as well. Rains are likely to continue for a period of 48 hours, and thundershowers are also likely during this period.
As per IMD data, Bengaluru city saw 114.6 mm of rainfall on Tuesday, the area around the international airport saw 65.6 mm of rainfall and around HAL, rainfall came in at 86.4mm.
Heavy rain that lashed Bengaluru has disrupted normal life, with severe waterlogging reported in several locations, along with uprooted trees and stranded vehicles. Traffic snarls on the Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) highway led to vehicles being stranded on the road for more than two hours. Drain water flooded houses in several localities.
In addition to Bengaluru, the IMD has sounded a red alert for Karnataka's coastal districts and hilly regions. On May 18, the Met Centre in Bengaluru asked the district commissioners of Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu to stay alert. As a result of squally winds reaching 40-50 km per hour, fishermen along the coast have been warned not to venture out to sea.
Rainfall that Bengaluru received on Tuesday is reportedly the most rainfall it received in a single day since 2017.
The IMD had earlier issued an orange alert for rural and urban Bengaluru. It had predicted very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala for a period of five days.
On Tuesday, the IMD had forecast widespread rainfall for parts of south India. This, it said, was due to a cyclonic circulation over Kerala and neighbouring students. "Fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall with isolated thunderstorm/ lightning/ gusty winds very likely over Kerala-Mahe, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Lakshadweep and Rayalaseema during next five days," IMD said in a series of tweets.
"Isolated heavy to very heavy falls very likely over Kerala-Mahe, Tamilnadu, Coastal and South Interior Karnataka during next three days and isolated heavy for subsequent two days," it added.