Bengaluru's streets turned into rivers as heavy rain, aggregated over 100mm on Monday, inundated the city, resulting in tragic fatalities including three people, one of whom was a 12-year-old boy. This volume of rain is notably rare for the region; the last time such significant rainfall was recorded was in 2011, according to local meteorological officials. The heavy showers began on Sunday, intensified by cyclonic activity over the Andaman Sea, leading to heightened concerns for further downpours predicted for Tuesday.
The impact has been extensive. Many global tech firms based in Bengaluru have advised employees to work from home due to the crippling road conditions. In a disturbing incident, the collapse of a software firm's compound wall resulted in the death of a 35-year-old female worker. Videos circulating online exhibit commuters struggling through knee-deep water with vehicles strewn across flooded streets, while some homes have been invaded by rising waters.
The city's administration is working tirelessly in identified flood-prone areas, with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar assuring residents that intervention efforts are underway. With the Congress party currently leading the state government, opposition party BJP has criticized the administration for its handling of urban flooding, citing previous infrastructure investments that have yet to yield significant improvements. They have called for an emergency fund of ₹10 billion ($117 million) for immediate relief operations while the state government defends its stance, emphasizing that these flooding issues are longstanding and systemic.
As Bengaluru grapples with ongoing flood challenges attributed to rapid urban development and environmental management failures, social media commentators express their discontent over the city's dilapidated infrastructure and the persistent flooding crises that plague the region.
