K'taka: Bengaluru hit by heavy rains; one killed, traffic disrupted

Bengaluru, May 1 (IANS) Following heavy rains accompanied by strong winds in Bengaluru on Thursday night, an auto-rickshaw driver died in the Katriguppe locality after a tree fell on his vehicle.

Several areas in the city have been inundated, and traffic has been severely disrupted due to the downpour.

The deceased has been identified as 45-year-old Mahesh, a resident of Ittamadu. The police have registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating the incident.

The tragedy occurred near the C.K. Achukattu bus stop in Katriguppe when a roadside tree suddenly fell.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the incident took place around 7.30 pm, while Mahesh was returning after refuelling his auto-rickshaw. Due to strong winds, the tree fell on his vehicle, crushing it completely. Mahesh died on the spot from the impact.

The tree also fell on a nearby car, but fortunately, the occupants escaped unhurt.

The Meteorological Department has issued an alert, predicting rain over the next three hours.

Several parts of Bengaluru have received heavy rainfall, including the Central Business District, Rajajinagar, Basaveshwaranagar, Nagarbhavi, K.R. Market, and Nandini Layout.

Traffic authorities have reported slow movement towards Kempegowda International Airport due to the rain. Hebbal Junction, a known bottleneck en route to the airport, is experiencing a major traffic jam, and traffic police are actively working to ease congestion despite the ongoing showers.

Most of the major junctions, including those located in IT corridors in the city, witnessed heavy traffic jams and slow movement of vehicles in the evening.

On March 22, a downpour lashed IT capital Bengaluru, bringing respite from the sweltering summer heat, but caused major traffic disruption on arterial roads, especially leading to the Bengaluru International Airport due to inundation and haphazard vehicle parking.

The rains had also resulted in the death of a three-year-old girl in the Pulakeshinagar locality, following a tree fell on her. About 30 trees were uprooted, and 48 branches of the trees fell across the city.

Following the heavy rains, the airport authorities diverted 10 aircraft to Chennai, causing severe inconvenience to air travellers. The Air India and IndiGo airlines issued advisories to travellers due to rain disruption. They appealed to the travellers to check the status of the flight and also offered rebooking options.

--IANS

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