Bengaluru flooded, boats to the rescue

Rain started on Thursday night and continued through Friday morning affecting life on a working day with people and students struggling to reach their offices and schools. Traffic movement was also severely hampered and a pile-up of vehicles was reported in many parts of the city. People going to offices and students to schools woke up to witness the worst situation and struggled to reach their destinations, mostly in eastern and southeastern parts of the city. Half a dozen lakes worsened the situation as water gushed out to residential areas and fire force personnel had to use dinghies to rescue stranded people from over 10 apartment blocks where water entered the ground floor. 

Following breach of a lake, Kodichikkanahalli, Bilekahalli and surrounding areas were flooded, while breach in Madiwala lake marooned BTM Layout. The gushing of waters entered residential areas and some youth were busy catching fish that came along the water using mosquito nets. The worst-affected were many areas in Bommanahalli industrial zone following breach in Kodichikkanahalli lake and surrounding areas were flooded. 

Many houses were flooded, forcing the ground floor residents to move to the upper floors early on Friday morning. According to reports, parts of Hongasandra, H.S.R. Layout, Majestic area in the heart of the city, busy K R Market, Katriguppe, Silk Board junction leading to electronics city, Banaswadi, Banashankari and BTM layouts witnessed water up to three feet flooding the roads and residences. Arterial roads like Old Madras Road, Hosur Road, Outer Ring Road, Bannerghatta Road and Ballari Road faced traffic jams.