Bengaluru: With the southwest monsoon continuing to stay heavy over interior regions of Karnataka, the city is expected to record the highest ever annual rainfall this year.
Figures from India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicate that the city received 1,540 mm of rain as on Saturday, moving closer to the highest ever rainfall of 1,606.8 mm recorded in 2005.
Srinivasa Reddy, director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) believes the record will be easily crossed this year, as two and a half more months remain. “As per the intensity of the rainfall we have been witnessing the arrival of monsoon this year, the figures of 2005 will soon be passed, most probably by the end of this month itself,” he said.
Bengaluru North badly hit
Bengaluru North recorded heavy rainfall on Friday evening with Nandini Layout topping the list (95 mm), closely followed by Mariyappanapalya and Nagapura (both 91mm) and Hosahalli (89.5 mm). Reddy added, “Friday rains were of a rare phenomenon, as we received almost more than 90 mm rain in an hour’s time. Even though the intensity of rainfall is not usually recorded, heavy rainfall between 6 and 7 pm helped us reach this rare observation.”
October rain twice average
Rainfall in the first half of October (311mm), has nearly doubled the month’s average (168 mm). Saturday was calmer with no heavy downpour, weather experts predict “moderate to heavy rainfall” till Oct. 18. “Temperatures are likely to be between 20 and 26 degree C for the next 3 days. One or two spells of rains/thundershowers in some areas can also be expected,” said an IMD official.
BMTC fuel tank flooded
Around 40,000 litres of fuel worth Rs 22.8 lakh went waste at Kathriguppe bus depot (No 13), after rainwater seeped into the fuel tanks, following heavy rains on Friday. 50 Volvo buses stayed off services on Saturday as water mixed fuel was filled in them resulting in snags.
