Bengaluru: Evening rain brings relief, but uproots trees & poles

BENGALURU: Multiple spells of moderate to heavy rain on Sunday gave Bengalureans reeling under sweltering heat some respite, but the downpour also inconvenienced many as strong wind uprooted trees and electric poles in the city.
Residents in Madiwala, Balajinagar off Bannerghatta Road, Bilekalli and other places reported hailstorm, while Jayadeva underpass and BVK Iyengar Road were flooded.
The weather department said the city recorded 11.2mm of rainfall and HAL airport area 26 mm by 5.30pm. Kempegowda International Airport area saw 5.4mm of rain. An IMD official said: “Overall, the city witnessed moderate to heavy rainfall. It was accompanied by thunderstorm and wind speed touched 30kmph to 40kmph. The maximum temperature was 34 degrees Celsius and minimum 22.”
BBMP officials said six two-wheelers and two cars were trapped under a tree that got uprooted at Srirampura 5th Cross near Jain Bhavan in the evening. On KG Road, a tree fell on a BMTC bus, disrupting traffic. A serial accident involving not less than half-a-dozen vehicles was reported on Tumakuru Road flyover, damaging at least three.
The BBMP control room said it received complaints of six tree falls from south Bengaluru and Whitefield. Bescom said 17 trees and 16 electric poles were uprooted in four major areas: Jayanagar (two poles and two trees), Whitefield (3, 10), Koramangala (5, 2) and HSR Layout (6, 3). A Bescom statement issued late on Sunday said there were power cuts in many localities. “Across our jurisdiction, over 170 electric poles were damaged and over 160 trees uprooted.”
IMD said the city may see cloudy sky and rain with thunderstorm for the next 48 hours.