Heavy rainfall hits Karnataka’s Bengaluru, 2 labourers dead, several houses flooded

Two labourers drowned after the water level inside a pipeline they were laying in Bengaluru suddenly increased due to heavy showers on Tuesday evening.

(Trees uprooted, waterlogging due to heavy rainfall in Bengaluru, Pic Courtesy: ANI)

New Delhi: As heavy rainfall hit Karnataka’s capital Bengaluru, two labourers drowned at a pipeline work site while many houses were inundated. The labourers identified as Dev Vrat from Bihar and Ankit Kumar from Uttar Pradesh, drowned after the water level inside a pipeline they were laying at Ullal in Bengaluru suddenly increased due to heavy showers on Tuesday evening (May 17), the police said as per PTI. The third worker Trilok had a lucky escape as he got out of the Cauvery water pipeline just in time. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who visited some of the rain-affected areas in the capital on Wednesday, announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of two migrant workers who died while working. 

The Karnataka Police has arrested the contractor for alleged negligence and initiated a probe to find out the role of the site engineer.

Heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi. As per IANS, thousands of houses are feared to have been flooded in Bengaluru due to the incessant showers. CM Bommai also declared Rs 25,000 compensation for those whose houses were flooded due to the heavy rainfall. 

#WATCH | Karnataka: Streets and parking places waterlogged in parts of Bengaluru following the rainfall here. Water also enters houses. Visuals from Kalappa Layout, Basavanagar in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/hlADx0bAds — ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2022

Many areas in the city received 50 mm to 150 mm rain in the last 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Horamavu, Yelahanka, Vidyapeetha, Rajmahal, Nagapura, Sampangiramnagar, Vidyaranyapura, Banaswadi, Jakkur and Singasandra were among the worst-hit regions. Trees were also uprooted amid the torrential rains, the Bengaluru civic agency said.

Several areas in Bengaluru witnessed waterlogging that caused traffic jams amid heavy rainfall. 

Meanwhile, the weather department has warned that the rainfall is expected to lash the state for three more days. A red alert has been notified in the coastal districts and hilly regions of Karnataka for Wednesday. Heavy rains with thunderstorms and lightning are expected in the next 24 hours, the IMD said. 

(With agency inputs)