Rain-ravaged Bengaluru limps back to normalcy; More rains in store for next 48 hours

Bengaluru, Sep 08: A forecast of more rains and overcast skies since early Thursday morning with slight drizzle has caused worry among citizens of rain-battered Bengaluru, who were preparing to get back to routine, after some respite the previous day and water level in flooded areas receding slowly.

The Meteorological office in Bengaluru in its forecast on Thursday morning for the city for the next 48 hours has said one or two spells of light to moderate rain or thundershowers were very likely.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted over a few places in coastal and south interior Karnataka on September 8-9 and interior Karnataka on September 9-10, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

"A cyclonic circulation lies over interior Karnataka and neighbourhood. A trough runs from cyclonic circulation over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal to north Kerala across Rayalaseema and south interior Karnataka," it said.

According to IMD data, the Bengaluru City observatory recorded 251.4 mm of rainfall in the last four days, including 131.6 mm on Sunday, the highest 24-hour precipitation in September in 34 years.

Meanwhile, residents of localities and apartments that were inundated are making attempts to drain out the water and remove sludge from their houses and basements.

Some badly affected areas continued to remain in darkness without power supply and non-availability of drinking water, even as officials maintained that efforts were on to restore supply by repairing the damages.

While waterlogging on roads in most parts of the city is by and largely clear, making way for easy movement of vehicles, some stretches along the Outer Ring Road and Marathahalli and nearby areas are said to be still facing some issues with vehicular movement with water on roads.

Also, potholes continue to haunt the city's motorists, especially two-wheeler riders.

Some residents of flood-hit localities and apartments, who had moved out to safer locations like either relatives or friends' places or hotels are getting back to their homes to assess the damage and to carry out cleaning work.

''With the situation improving slightly, I have come to check my house, and to get it cleaned, but there seems to be a shortage of pumps to remove the remaining water, as they are in good demand now, also laborers to remove sludge. Will have to look out for them now. There is also a power cut...hope we don't receive more heavy rains,'' a resident at a locality near Yemalur said.

Another resident in Marathahalli, who lives in an apartment, sharing a similar ordeal said, hope there are no more heavy rains, it's been cloudy and drizzling since morning though.

Generators and power backup equipment of apartments whose basements were submerged in flood waters have all mostly been damaged.

Also, according to officials restoring power supply to apartments whose basements are still waterlogged is not safe.

Owners trying to attend to or getting their vehicles like- cars and bikes- that were either partially or fully under water due to flooding, were a common sight in parts of these areas.