Bengaluru Floods Again: Overnight Deluge Paralyzes India's Tech Capital
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&nbsp;A fresh wave of torrential overnight rain has left large swathes of Bengaluru submerged, crippling the city&rsquo;s traffic and forcing families out of their homes in the early hours of Monday. With over 105 mm of rain recorded &mdash; one of the heaviest May downpours in recent years &mdash; the city has once again been brought to its knees.
Waterlogging was reported across east, north, and central Bengaluru, with key IT corridors such as Outer Ring Road and Panathur Road under several feet of water. Junctions at Silk Board, HSR Layout, Yelahanka, Wilson Garden, and the Shanti Nagar bus terminal were rendered nearly impassable, leading to severe delays during the morning commute. Vehicles crawled through inundated lanes, while traffic personnel waded through murky waters, issuing diversions and advising commuters to remain cautious.
In residential areas like Sai Layout and Horamavu, floodwaters entered homes, prompting emergency evacuations. Tractors and dinghies were deployed to ferry residents to higher ground. Niloufer, a long-time resident of Sai Layout, said the ground floor of her house was completely submerged, forcing her family to move upstairs. She lamented the decade-long neglect of local drainage issues, blaming bureaucratic red tape between civic agencies and railway authorities for delays in fixing the bottleneck near the Hennur railway station.
Social workers in the area echoed similar concerns, pointing out that the stormwater drain near Kalkere Lake is grossly undersized. During heavy rainfall, the water reverses course due to constricted outflow vents, flooding surrounding homes and streets.
Despite claims of improved infrastructure under the city&rsquo;s modernisation drive, the situation has laid bare the fragile civic systems. The city&rsquo;s governing body has deployed earth movers and pumps at choke points like Silk Board, but the relief has been piecemeal at best.
The weather department has issued a yellow alert for the city, forecasting more rain in the coming days, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds. Meanwhile, political tensions have surged, with opposition leaders demanding an immediate release of ₹1,000 crore for flood relief and accusing the ruling government of prioritising image over infrastructure.
For residents, however, the demand is simple &mdash; lasting solutions, not post-disaster firefighting.
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water logging In residential areas  of Bengaluru city

City paralysed as overnight rain floods tech corridors, homes and major traffic junctions

Bengaluru Hit by Flash Floods After Heavy Rainfall

City paralysed as overnight rain floods tech corridors, homes and major traffic junctions

May 19, 2025 | 23:47 IST