Bengaluru, (DHNS): In just four hours, Bengaluru city and most parts of south interior Karnataka were submerged in knee-deep water in the early hours of Tuesday.

This is simply because the district administration ignored the warning issued by the India Meteorological Department cautioning them of moderate to heavy rainfall in the city and south interior Karnataka.

The city received 13 cm (128.7 mm) rainfall in just four hours (from 3.35 am to 5.40 am and then from 5.45 am to 8.15 am), while the HAL airport recorded 14 cm (143.8 mm), this, according to the IMD officials, is the highest in 24 hours for the month of August. Most of the low-lying areas in Bengaluru were flooded.

Mandya received 110.1 mm, Shivamogga 109.4 mm, Tumakuru 72 mm, Mysuru 43.8 mm and Chamarajnagar recorded 37.4 mm during the same duration.

Rain havoc was reported at Madiwala, Bommanahalli, Koramanagala, BTM Layout, Silk Board junction, Indiranagar, JP Nagar, HSR Layout, Tavarekere, Sarjapura Road, Indiranagar, Eijipura, ST Bed, Manjunatha Nagar, HAL 2nd Stage, Wilson Garden, Dollars Colony and Anugraha layout.

Warning sent
Sunder M Methri, director in-charge, IMD Bengaluru, told DH that a warning stating: “Moderate to heavy rainfall likely to affect your district within next three hours” was sent to all DCs, including Bengaluru, at 2.20 pm, 5.41 pm, 8.30 pm, 12.10 am and 4.20 am. “Though the forecast was for moderate to heavy, city and south interior Karnataka received very heavy rainfall in just four hours,” he said.

‘BBMP was alerted’
G S Srinivasa Reddy, director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), said that they have an automated system where once the rainfall reaches a threshold of 50 mm in one hour, an automated warning alert goes to the BBMP officials and other concerned heads. “On Monday night, when the city received 12.5 mm within 15 minutes, immediate warning alerts went out,” he said.

Reddy said that the KSNDMC does not get weather updates from IMD, they collect the data independently and take satellite readings from ISRO. Senior officials from both the departments echoed that it was a mere communication lapse.

More rain likely
The IMD has issued a warning stating that Bengaluru and parts of south interior Karnataka will continue to receive moderate to heavy rainfall.

“This rainfall is because of an upper air cyclonic circulation over south Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep area. A wind share zone has also formed 10 degree north latitude due to which south interior Karnataka is experiencing heavy rainfall. This will continue for the next two days,” Methri said