Bengaluru Rains: Heavy Overnight Downpour of 100 mm Triggers Fresh Flooding Across City

Bengaluru woke up to scenes of chaos and inundation on Saturday morning after an intense overnight downpour of over 100 mm brought the city to its knees once again. The pre-monsoon rain, which began late Friday night and continued into the early hours, caused widespread waterlogging, traffic snarls, and damage to public infrastructure, particularly in low-lying and poorly drained areas of the city.

Major localities such as Koramangala, HSR Layout, Indiranagar, Marathahalli, Jayanagar, and Bellandur witnessed knee-deep water on roads, forcing residents to wade through flooded streets. Several two-wheelers were seen submerged, and cars stalled in waterlogged underpasses. In Whitefield and surrounding IT corridors, many office-goers were forced to work from home as commute became nearly impossible due to flooded roads and traffic congestion.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) received hundreds of distress calls related to fallen trees, clogged drains, and basement flooding. Emergency response teams were deployed overnight and continued rescue and relief operations well into the morning. BBMP officials confirmed that over 50 trees had fallen across the city, damaging vehicles and blocking roads in many areas.

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) also faced challenges as the heavy rains overwhelmed stormwater drains, leading to backflow in several homes, particularly in South and East Bengaluru. Residents reported sewage mixing with rainwater, raising concerns about public health and sanitation.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for Bengaluru, warning of heavy rain accompanied by thunder and gusty winds. Officials stated that the city recorded over 100 mm of rainfall at several monitoring stations, making it one of the wettest days of the pre-monsoon season so far. Meteorologists attributed the intense showers to upper air cyclonic circulation over South Interior Karnataka and warned of continued rainfall in the coming days.

This episode of urban flooding has once again sparked criticism of the city's drainage infrastructure and its preparedness for the monsoon season. Citizens and experts alike questioned the efficacy of BBMP’s pre-monsoon cleaning drives and desilting work, which appear to have fallen short in preventing flooding. With repeated incidents year after year, residents are demanding long-term structural changes rather than temporary relief measures.

Several tech parks and commercial complexes reported delays in operations, and educational institutions were affected with many shifting to online classes for the day. Ride-sharing services were temporarily suspended in parts of the city due to impassable roads, while BMTC buses had to reroute to avoid submerged routes.

As the city tries to recover from yet another round of weather-induced disruption, civic authorities have urged residents to remain indoors during heavy spells and report emergencies through the BBMP helpline. Meanwhile, citizens are calling for urgent and sustained action to address Bengaluru's fragile urban ecosystem that continues to buckle under extreme weather.