Highlights
- Karnataka government will release Rs 300 crore as relief fund to manage Bengaluru rains.
- Bengaluru is witnessing the heaviest rainfall in last 32 years (1992-93).
- Several schools and educational institutions have shifted to online mode.
Bengaluru rains:
Karnataka's Bengaluru city remained inundated with rainwater on Tuesday, as floods wreaked havoc on the city. Several flights to and from Bengaluru were delayed due to bad weather. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the state government has decided to release Rs 300 crore as relief fund to manage Bengaluru floods, as the city witnessed the heaviest rainfall in the last 32 years.
Apart from that, several schools and educational institutions have shifted to online mode, due to severe waterlogging and continuous downpours in the city. The chief minister chaired a meeting with senior ministers and officials in the night to take stock of the rain and flood situation in the state, especially the capital city, and the damages caused.
The state government has decided to release Rs 600 crore to manage the rain and flood situation across the state.To restore damaged infrastructure like roads, electric poles, transformers, schools, etc, Rs 300 crore has been kept for Bengaluru alone, Bommai said. This is the highest rainfall in the last 32 years (1992-93), he said, adding that 164 lakes in Bengaluru have filled up with water.
As per local media, many schools shifted to online classes and will continue to conduct classes online for the next week or at least until the rains subside.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a yellow alert has been issued to Bangalore and other districts such as Kodagu, Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikmagalur. As per the weather department, the heavy rains will continue till September 9, 2022.
A total of Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated for construction of storm water drains in Bengaluru, Bommai said, adding the work will begin once the water recedes. The chief minister said it has been decided to have one more company of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) exclusively for Bengaluru and Rs 9.50 crore is being released for boats and other equipment for it.
At the state level, two more companies of the SDRF will be set up in the days to come, he added. Bommai said from September 1-5, some parts of the city have received 150 percent more than normal rainfall, while Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli and K R Puram zones received 307 per cent more than normal rains.
