Rain, Strong Wind Leave Trees, Poles Uprooted
By Express News Service
Published: 20th May 2015
BENGALURU: Strong wind of upto 42 kmph along with heavy rain led to over 30 trees being uprooted in the city on Tuesday evening. According to the Meteorology Department, around 18 mm of rain was recorded in the city on Tuesday.
BBMP officials said around 30 complaints of trees being uprooted were received till 9 pm. Nine trees fell in West Zone, followed by seven in Yelahanka. There was one complaint of a tree fall in South Zone. The numbers were expected to increase.
Water stagnation was reported in low lying areas around JC Road, Seshadripuram and R T Nagar. Sewage entered some houses in Jeevan Bima Nagar after sewage lines got choked.
BBMP Administrator T M Vijay Bhaskar, who was inspecting streetlights, went to Rajajinagar, Prakashnagar, Majestic and Oklipuram. He said BBMP has already directed all zonal commissioners to keep a vigil during rains. More tree uprooting complaints have come in and forest officials and gangmen have been deputed to clear the trees and branches from the streets, he said.
Police said traffic was not severely affected by the rain. “There were a few incidents of slow moving traffic in Majestic, but that was for a short duration,” said M A Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic. Traffic jams were reported from areas around Hebbal as well.
BESCOM said it received 5,173 calls out of which 1,151 complaints were registered. North zone had 282 complaints, 15 of which were related to broken poles and 13 cases to tree/branch falls. South zone had 269 complaints with two instances of tree/branch falls while East zone had 320 complaints and 21 tree/branch falls and four broken poles. As many as 202 complaints were registered in West zone and the helpline was receiving close to 1,230 calls per hour around 9 pm.
“Seventeen cranes are engaged to reinstall uprooted poles to restore power supply. Our staff are working against all odds and senior officers from corporate office are deployed to visit rain-hit areas,” said Pankaj Kumar Pandey, MD, BESCOM.
IMD predicts More Rain
IMD Bengaluru Director Sunder M Metri said there is trough of low pressure from Vidarbh region to Lakshadweep and its influence is causing good rain. “There could be rains for the next two days under this system,” he said
