MLA visits rain-affected area on JCB, netizens ‘plan to use boats’ in Bengaluru-turned Venice
Continuous heavy rainfall over the past 48 hours has brought Bengaluru to a standstill, with severe waterlogging reported across multiple low-lying areas of the city. The downpour has disrupted daily life, led to traffic chaos, and damaged property.
Visuals from across the city showed residents walking through knee-deep water as roads turned into streams. Water entered homes in residential areas, soaking belongings and damaging electronic appliances. Civic officials shifted affected families to safer locations.
Several vehicles were left partially submerged or stalled, compounding the city’s already notorious traffic congestion. Public transport services were severely delayed, leaving commuters stranded.
Many areas reported fallen tree branches and damaged vehicles.
Among the worst-hit locations were Sai Layout and Horamavu with severe flooding.
On Monday, local MLA B Basavraj visited the affected area in Sai Layout aboard a JCB to assess the damage.
A heavy downpour lasted over six hours between Sunday night and Monday morning, flooding social media with reactions.
A user said, “Venice is built in #BrandBengaluru by our visionary, efficient, and honest BBMP officials. Plan your commute only through boats.”
Venice is built in #BrandBengaluru by our visionary leaders and highly efficient & honest @BBMPCOMM officials , plan your commute only through boats #IThub #Balagere pic.twitter.com/8WpG1Pj8D4
— Namma Balagere. (@BalagereConnect) May 19, 2025
Two essentials every Bengalurean should add to their wishlist:
🔹Tractor 🚜 – for potholes and crater-filled roads
🔹Boat 🚤 – for navigating flooded streets
Our cameraman @robert_mc76 is on the #BengaluruRains trail in Hennur & Horamavu.
⁰#Bengaluru #RainHavoc pic.twitter.com/IoZLUzjHE2
— BengaluruPost (@bengalurupost1) May 19, 2025
Manyata Tech Park ❌
Manyata Lake Drive ✅
Please opt WFH today#BengaluruRains#ManyataTechPark#BangaloreRains #Nagawara pic.twitter.com/nIUqgHNH1X
— Mahesh (@potterhed_1) May 19, 2025
This water was meant to fill Bellandur and Varthur lakes. But for over two years, our ‘honest’ government has been busy filling its pockets instead of desilting the lakes.#BengaluruFloods #BengaluruRains #BengaluruRain
— Citizens Movement, East Bengaluru (@east_bengaluru) May 19, 2025
Another wrote, “I have never ever seen such a pathetic condition in Bengaluru. BBMP is not collecting and disposing of collected waste. Rainwater spreading waste across Bengaluru.”
The impact of the rainfall affected several districts including Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Tumakuru, Mandya, Mysuru, Hassan, Kodagu, Belagavi, Bidar, Raichur, Yadgir, Davanagere and Chitradurga.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘yellow’ alert for heavy rainfall in coastal Karnataka and an ‘orange’ alert for very heavy rainfall in parts of north and south interior Karnataka.
An IMD official also confirmed that a cyclonic circulation over the region is driving the current weather pattern.
“Karnataka, especially the coastal parts, will get heavy rainfall. Bengaluru is likely to witness heavy rain over the next two days,” the official said.
