Schools, anganwadis closed in Bengaluru amid heavy rain forecast
Several lakes in Yelahanka breached
Bengaluru: Following heavy rains on Monday and sharp spells on Tuesday, several lakes in the Yelahanka area of North Bengaluru breached, leading to widespread flooding and significant traffic disruptions. In response, the Karnataka government has declared a holiday for schools and Anganwadis in Bengaluru on October 23 and advised tech companies to allow employees to work from home.
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The Kogilu Lake and Doddabommasandra Lake, both part of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), experienced breaches due to the intense rainfall. The breach of Kogilu Lake, which spans 40.4 acres, flooded homes in the Kendriya Vihar Apartment area. Meanwhile, the 39.10-acre Doddabommasandra Lake breach inundated Tata Nagar, Bhadrappa Layout, and Balaji Layout, resulting in waterlogging on the Outer Ring Road between the BEL Circle and Hebbal Flyover, causing significant traffic snarls.
Traffic on the Outer Ring Road was also severely affected after Bellandur Lake overflowed, leading to flooding on service roads between the Marathahalli and Iblur junctions. Commuters reported being stuck in slow-moving traffic for over three hours, prompting police to request tech parks in the area to keep employees on-site until 8 PM to help alleviate congestion. The Bengaluru traffic police advised road users to avoid the congested Outer Ring Road section and utilize alternative routes.
The rain on Monday set a record for the highest daily rainfall at the India Meteorological Department’s GKVK station, with 186.2 mm recorded. This event surpassed the previous record of 178.9 mm on October 1, 1997.
Karnataka revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda described the thunderstorm as a “cloud-burst-like situation,” which severely impacted North Bengaluru due to overflowing lakes and water-logging in residential areas and on roads.
The assistant commissioner of police (Traffic) for the Northeast division announced that the service road from Kogilu junction towards IAF was closed to facilitate rescue operations for stranded residents. The Doddabommasandra Lake's bund breached for the first time in 17-18 years, prompting officials to warn that low-lying areas around Kodigehalli were affected.
As of 8:30 AM on Tuesday, Bengaluru had received an additional 23.6 mm of rainfall. The IMD forecasts a generally cloudy sky with moderate rain and possible heavy downpours in the coming days. A yellow alert remains in effect, indicating expected rainfall between 6 cm and 11 cm. The Karnataka government continues to prioritize safety amid these weather conditions, recommending that IT, biotechnology, electronics, and private companies permit employees to work from home on Wednesday.