Heavy rain floods large parts of North Bengaluru, disrupts airport operations

A tree fell at Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan Junction on Doddaballapur Road in North Bengaluru.

Large swathes of northern Bengaluru have been flooded because of the heavy rain and flight operations at the Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli too were affected. Passengers travelling to and from the airport faced difficulties due to traffic congestion and waterlogging on Monday night.

Areas like Yelahanka, Vidataranayapura, Jakkur, Kodigehalli and Horamavu in North Bengaluru received heavy downpour on Monday night. "The Doddabommasandra Lake breached, flooding several houses in Kodigehalli with up to six feet of water. Residents are stranded without power, water supply, or food in areas like Tata Nagar, Bhadrappa Layout, Kodigehalli, and Hebbal Sarovara Layout," said Kiran Kumar, a Kodigehalli resident.

"Even the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) control room is not responding," he added, stating that the Hebbal Lake is also at full capacity.

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BBMP officials said that an old GKVK compound wall collapsed near Judicial Layout. Civic authorities deployed excavators to clear the debris.

In Kodigehalli, water entered the Chitrakoota Residency apartment complex after a wall collapsed, causing rainwater to flood the cellar. The basement of Kaiser Residency in the same area was also flooded. Several cars were submerged in the Sahakar Nagar underpass.

Many residences in areas like Basava Samithi Layout (nine houses), Venkataswamappa Layout (10), MS Palya (eight), and Telecom Layout (one) were also affected. Waterlogging was reported at Kodigehalli and Yelahanka underpasses, New BEL Layout, Tata Nagar, Bhadrappa Layout, and Hebbal Sarovara Layout.

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Kogilu Cross was flooded after Kogilu Lake breached, leading to the closure of service roads towards the IAF due to waterlogging on Tuesday. Motorists on Airport Road faced heavy traffic jams near Yelahanka. Kendriya Vihar Apartments in Yelahanka were flooded following heavy rains on Monday night, prompting NDRF and SDRF teams to rescue residents using boats.

Sarjapur Main Road also witnessed severe traffic congestion due to waterlogging, with areas near Rainbow Drive Layout inundated.

Separately, a brother-sister duo was feared drowned in Kengeri Lake, West Bengaluru, on Monday. Police identified them as Laxmi, 11, and her brother Srinivas, 13.  Fire safety department officials said they received the alert at 8.30pm on Monday and fire tenders were dispatched but they couldn’t do the rescue operations due to poor weather. The operations will be resumed on Monday morning.

At Bengaluru airport, flights were operating normally till 9pm but delays have been reported since then due to heavy rains. Over 20 flights have been delayed, with IndiGo flights from Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chandigarh, as well as an Air India flight from Delhi, diverted to Chennai. The Meteorological department predicts more rain and a generally cloudy sky with thundershowers till October 24.

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