Tue Oct 15 19:45:28 UTC 2024: ## Bengaluru Batters Downpour: Schools Closed, Tech Hubs Impacted, Traffic Gridlock

Bengaluru faced a day of heavy downpour on Tuesday, leading to widespread waterlogging, traffic congestion, and disruption to daily life. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for the city, prompting authorities to close schools and encourage work-from-home arrangements for employees.

Incessant rain since early morning caused severe waterlogging and traffic jams in various parts of the city, including Varthur, Hebbal, and Kadubeesanahalli. Tech hubs like Manyata Tech Park and Sarjapur also experienced significant disruptions, with major tech companies facing challenges. The Hebbal flyover towards KR Puram was temporarily closed due to waterlogging before being cleared by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

The government ordered the closure of schools and anganwadi centers in Bengaluru district, but colleges remained open with guidelines emphasizing student safety. Most schools switched to online classes for higher grades while assigning homework for younger students.

In response to the heavy rain, the BBMP has set up 24×7 control rooms in all eight zones and launched a dedicated helpline number (1533) to report rain-related issues. The downpour also resulted in uprooted trees, including one blocking the Ashoka Pillar road, leading to temporary closure.

The IMD attributes the widespread rainfall to a low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal. Besides Bengaluru, a yellow alert (indicating potentially disruptive weather conditions) has been issued for Tumakuru, Mysuru, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Kolar, Shivamogga, Chikkaballapura, and coastal Karnataka.

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