BENGALURU: Heavy rain induced by cyclonic conditions lashed large swathes of Bengaluru from Sunday midnight to early Monday, unleashing an average of 62mm of rainfall. The consequent collapse in the civic infrastructure led to the city's first rain-related death this year as a 56-year-old woman died avoiding a pothole in the city's tech corridor, Sarjapur.
Hours before the accident, Sarjapur had recorded 40mm rainfall, drastically reducing visibility. The scooter-borne couple was returning from a family wedding on Monday morning when hit by a mini-truck. The rider had slowed down to negotiate huge potholes. They were knocked down by the mini-truck, leaving the woman pillion rider dead and her husband with injuries.
Police identified the deceased as Mallika alias Baby from Nagawara, and her husband as Muniraju, who is now in hospital. A police officer said the woman would have survived if the road did not have potholes. Muniraju and Mallika were heading towards Sarjapur and stopped at a roadside eatery near Abhaya Circle for tea. The accident occurred when they resumed their journey. The truck driver abandoned the vehicle and fled.
IMD has predicted rain for the next two days. The govt declared a holiday for schools on Monday, but the announcement didn't come too soon, leading to confusion as hundreds of school buses had already picked up children by that time.
Heavy rain returned with a vengeance in the evening, with Chowdeshwari ward in Yelahanka receiving 150mm rain in 5 hours from 6.30 pm.
At least 20 flights bound for Bengaluru landed late, between 9pm and 12 midnight, at KIA, while four flights were diverted to Chennai.