Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, divided by language, united by floods: Internet after rain batters cities

Workers carry automobile parts as they wade through a flooded street following heavy rainfall in Bengaluru on May 19. (Image credit: AFP)

Last week, rain battered Bengaluru, Sunday was Delhi's wettest May day on record, and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall in Mumbai over the next few days. While other Kerala, Haryana, and a few other states have also been receiving heavy rainfall, the three cities have been notorious for getting flooded with every wet spell, especially, Bengaluru and Mumbai—an observation that hasn't escaped the eyes of social media users. The recent spell has also made them share how these cities might be divided by their language preference, but they are united by their rain-related infrastructure problems.

"Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, divided by language, united by turning into river rafting spots within 15 minutes of rain," wrote The Skin Doctor (@theskindoctor13), a dermatologist with more than eight lakh followers on X.

Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, divided by language, united by turning into river rafting spots within 15 minutes of rain.
This is an underpass in Delhi Cantt. Doesnt seem like an old construction. Wonder why we dont focus much on drainage and stormwater management. pic.twitter.com/NJ6wqfXJnx THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) May 25, 2025

"You said 'united by rain' but we’re actually united by corruption, lazy planning, and zero accountability—black money flows better than stormwater. From Mumbai to Delhi to Bengaluru, roads collapse, drains choke, and the blame floats faster than the water," replied X user Eshwar Natarajan (@eshwar_n). Another user Devika (@Deyveeka) commented, "Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Noidacall get submerged in water within a few hours of rain. Thanks to the corruption and horrible infrastructure."

"It's astonishing how India's urban pride—Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi—can claim global aspirations while collapsing into chaos with the first spell of rain. The fact that a modern underpass in Delhi Cantonment floods this easily isn't just an engineering oversight; it's a systemic failure in urban planning," wrote Bengaluru citizen group (@CitizenMattersX).

Weather forecast 

Rain lashed parts of Mumbai on Sunday morning, with the Indian Meteorological Department forecasting heavy rainfall in the state for the next few days. Visuals from the city showed a heavy traffic jam in the city due to the rain. The IMD has predicted continued heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of the west coast, including Konkan, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala, over the next few days.

In Delhi, the temperature is expected to remain under 40 degrees Celsius with a possibility of rain and thunderstorm till May 30. Late on Saturday, the IMD issued a red alert for Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), warning of severe weather conditions.

The weather agency predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in several parts of Karnataka on Sunday. Partly cloudy skies are also expected, and it will remain the same throughout the day, it said. The IMD has also issued a red alert in coastal areas and interior parts of north and south Karnataka, as heavy rainfall is likely with thunderstorms and lightning in these regions.