Daijiworld Media Network- Bengaluru
Bengaluru, May 2: Torrential rains accompanied by fierce winds lashed Karnataka’s capital on Thursday evening, leaving one person dead and triggering widespread disruption across the city. The downpour resulted in waterlogging, traffic snarls, and damage to property in multiple localities.
Tragedy struck near the CK Achukattu bus stop in Katriguppe when a roadside tree, weakened by the storm, crashed onto an auto-rickshaw, killing its driver on the spot. The deceased, identified as 45-year-old Mahesh, a resident of Ittamadu, was returning from a nearby fuel station when the fatal incident occurred around 7.30 pm. Local police have registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation.
A car parked nearby was also hit by the same tree, but its occupants miraculously escaped without injuries.
Several major areas in the city — including Rajajinagar, Basaveshwaranagar, Nagarbhavi, Central Business District, KR Market, and Nandini Layout — experienced heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread waterlogging. Traffic movement was severely affected, especially towards the Kempegowda International Airport. The notorious Hebbal Junction reported massive gridlocks, as traffic police scrambled to manage congestion amid continuing rain.
The meteorological department has issued an alert predicting further rain activity over the next three hours.
This is not the first such weather-related casualty in Bengaluru in recent weeks. On March 22, a similar downpour had led to the death of a three-year-old girl in Pulakeshinagar after a tree fell on her. On that day, nearly 30 trees were uprooted and 48 large branches were brought down by the storm.
That spell of rain had also forced airport authorities to divert ten flights to Chennai, leaving many passengers stranded. Both Air India and IndiGo had issued advisories and offered flexible rebooking options to affected travellers.
As the IT hub continues to grapple with erratic weather and strained infrastructure, concerns over urban planning and emergency preparedness have once again come to the fore.