Heavy rains lash several parts of Karnataka, expected to continue for two days

Overnight heavy rains lashed several parts of Karnataka including Bengaluru, Dharwad, Gadag, Davangere, Kolar, Bagalakote, Mandya, Tumakuru, Hassan and Mysuru on Monday.

Roads were blocked and homes were flooded with rainwater in several parts of Karnataka. 

The rain, which began at around 1.30 am on Monday, wreaked havoc leading to severe waterlogging in several parts of Bengaluru.

Koramangala, Vijayanagara, MG Road, Nagasandra, Yeshvanthpura, Shanti Nagar and Malleshwaram were the worst hit areas.

The railway underpass near Shivanand Circle in Bengaluru’s Sheshadripuram area was completely waterlogged, with Mondaymorning motorists forced to deal with traffic snarls.

In Vijayapura district, a landslide occurred at the railway bridge near the Almatti Dam. Alert officials cleared up the area quickly and avoided accidents.

Homes in Davangere’s Bashanagar were also flooded, and residents had to stay up overnight to clear the water in their houses. There were power cuts for the whole night in this district as well.

Tourists, who were visiting Mysuru for the Dasara celebrations, were also stranded in several parts of the city due to the torrential rain.

In Gadag district’s Varagundapattana area, a 60-year-old man – Devappa, died after lightning struck him early on Monday morning.

While the rain continues to lash parts of the state, the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rains for the next two days.

Since 1.30 am, Bengaluru has received an average of 54.3 mm and is expected to increase in the next couple of days.

“A cyclonic trough, which had hit Odisha is extending to parts of South India. Interior parts of Karnataka, parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry will experience continuous rainfall for the next two days. The intensity of these rains is expected to increase further during the next 24 hours. However, coastal Karnataka will not receive heavy rainfall,” said Director of Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, Srinivas Reddy.

According to Director of Meteorological Department in Bengaluru, Sundar Mettri, the rainfall in Karnataka is expected to slow down on Monday afternoon and quickly pick up in the evening.

“There is a cyclonic trough which began in the Gulf of Martaban in the Andaman Sea and is moving west and then south. This is causing the rainfall in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Although there was heavy rainfall in several parts of Karnataka, it is expected to decrease on Monday afternoon and pick up in the evening. There will be continuous rainfall in several districts as well,” Mettri added.

Pictures by Faheem Mohammed, Twitter