3 Dead as Bengaluru Records 105.5 mm Rain in 24 Hours
A relentless downpour over the past 24 hours has claimed three lives and submerged large parts of Bengaluru, exposing glaring issues in the city’s stormwater management. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 105.5 mm of rain between May 18 and 19 — one of the heaviest for the month in recent years.
The rain turned deadly with two separate incidents reported on Monday. Shashikala, a woman in her 30s employed in the private sector, was killed when a compound wall collapsed on her while she was walking in Whitefield. Later in the day, 55-year-old Manohar Kamat and 9-year-old Dinesh from Nepal were electrocuted in BTM Layout while trying to pump rainwater from a flooded apartment basement.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced ₹5 lakh compensation for Shashikala’s family and directed officials to address drainage failures.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched rescue efforts in the most affected zones, but officials admitted a lack of rescue boats hampered timely response. Viral videos from BTM Layout and Silk Board Metro Station showed waist-deep water, sparking panic among commuters and residents.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at the Congress-led state government, accusing it of wasting funds on ineffective infrastructure projects. BJP leaders called out Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who handles Bengaluru development, for failing to prevent annual flooding.
Shivakumar responded with data, stating 70% of flood-prone areas had already been addressed and work was ongoing in the remaining zones.
“We identified 210 vulnerable areas. Of these, flooding has been resolved in 166. Work is underway in 24 areas,” Shivakumar said, sharing visuals from the BBMP War Room.
CM Siddaramaiah called the downpour “unexpected” and pledged to speed up de-silting and storm drain remodelling across the city.
With arterial roads submerged and traffic at a standstill, several software firms advised employees to work from home until conditions improve. Residents, particularly in low-lying areas, reported water entering their homes and damaging appliances.
This rainfall was Bengaluru’s heaviest May rain since 2022 and inches closer to the all-time record of 153.9 mm recorded on May 6, 1909. The repeated annual deluge has drawn scrutiny over the city’s rapid urbanisation and insufficient drainage infrastructure.
