3 dead, 2 missing as heavy rain pounds Bengaluru
BENGALURU: Heavy rains continued to lash Bengaluru leaving three persons dead and two missing as Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said continuous downpour in the city prevented desiltation of storm water drainages.
The body of Vasudev Bhat, a priest who was swept away in a storm water drain on Friday night in Kurubarahalli area was recovered on Saturday morning by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Shankarappa and wife Kamalamma died after the wall of their house fell on them in Kuruburahalli. The search for the 57-year-old Ningamma and her 22-year-old daughter Pushpa, who were swept away in a stormwater drain at Laggere after water from it flooded their house, was under way.
Bengaluru mayor Sampath Raj said the unprecedented rain on Friday night had caused extensive damage.
According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), Bengaluru Urban district received 14 mm rain on Friday, which was 293% more than normal. The district has received 100% rainfall in excess since October 1.
Sunil Gavaskar, scientist at KSNDMC, said heavy rains were expected for another two days as a result of cyclonic conditions prevalent in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
Siddaramaiah, who toured rain-affected areas of the city with Bengaluru development minister KJ George, visited Bhat’s house and promised to take care of the education of his children and also to provide employment to his wife.
Criticising the authorities, BJP’S state president BS Yeddyurappa said the government had entrusted blacklisted contractors with the responsibility of maintaining the drains.