The southern Indian city of Bengaluru, often celebrated as the country's technology hub, is currently submerged under heavy rainfall, with over 100mm of rain recorded in multiple areas, a first since 2011. Officials are on alert for more rain due to cyclonic activity in the Andaman Sea, after three fatalities, including a 12-year-old boy, resulted from the terrible weather. Many tech companies have instructed employees to work from home amid extensive road flooding that complicates commuting.
Bengaluru Faces Severe Flooding as Heavy Rains Sweep Through ‘Silicon Valley’ of India
Bengaluru Faces Severe Flooding as Heavy Rains Sweep Through ‘Silicon Valley’ of India
Bengaluru is grappling with catastrophic flooding following unprecedented rainfall, prompting government action amidst growing public concern.
In various neighborhoods, residents have experienced severe water-logging with videos surfacing of individuals navigating knee-deep water and vehicles stranded in inundated streets. Some properties have sustained damage, notably when the wall of a software company collapsed, resulting in further casualties. Local authorities are diligently addressing the crisis, identifying 210 flood-prone zones, although some citizens have voiced dissatisfaction on social media over the city’s deteriorating infrastructure.
Municipal leaders, including Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, have sought to reassure the public, asserting that the city's flooding issues are longstanding and not solely the fault of the current government, which faces criticism for not effectively managing infrastructure despite substantial financial investments.
Opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have criticized the administration's handling of the situation, demanding immediate financial aid for relief operations and pointing fingers at poor urban planning and rampant construction as contributing factors to the flooding crisis.
Experts have suggested that the unrestrained expansion over Bengaluru's lakes and wetlands has exacerbated the city's vulnerability to floods. Ananda Rao, president of the Association for Information Technology, which encompasses more than 450 software firms, remarked on the frequent inconveniences businesses face due to natural disasters and urged the government to implement long-term strategies for robust infrastructural improvement in the city.
Municipal leaders, including Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, have sought to reassure the public, asserting that the city's flooding issues are longstanding and not solely the fault of the current government, which faces criticism for not effectively managing infrastructure despite substantial financial investments.
Opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have criticized the administration's handling of the situation, demanding immediate financial aid for relief operations and pointing fingers at poor urban planning and rampant construction as contributing factors to the flooding crisis.
Experts have suggested that the unrestrained expansion over Bengaluru's lakes and wetlands has exacerbated the city's vulnerability to floods. Ananda Rao, president of the Association for Information Technology, which encompasses more than 450 software firms, remarked on the frequent inconveniences businesses face due to natural disasters and urged the government to implement long-term strategies for robust infrastructural improvement in the city.
