'Venice in Bengaluru' : Social media pokes fun at govt as heavy rains submerge India’s Silicon Valley
Amid the chaos, three people have lost their lives
By Sri Lakshmi Muttevi
Bengaluru: The city is facing yet another urban flooding crisis after relentless pre-monsoon showers battered the city, leaving streets submerged, homes waterlogged, and traffic at a standstill.
In just 12 hours, the city received a staggering 130 mm of rainfall due to the convergence of two low-pressure systems, accompanied by intense thunderstorms.
Social media is flooded with sarcastic posts criticizing the city’s infrastructure, with names like “Brand Bengaluru” and “Venice in Bengaluru” trending.
The downpour has severely affected several parts of the city, particularly the south, north, and eastern regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Karnataka and forecasts heavy rainfall for at least the next five days. Over the past 24 hours, the city received around 104 mm of rainfall, flooding many low-lying neighborhoods and causing massive traffic snarls.
Tech corridors like Outer Ring Road and Manyata Tech Park—home to thousands of IT professionals—were among the worst hit, with frustrated commuters sharing images of waterlogged roads and stalled vehicles.
Residents have shared shocking visuals from their neighborhoods, expressing anger over the authorities’ repeated failure to prevent flooding.
One user wrote on X: “Welcome back to Brand Bengaluru, where urban planning is optional and accountability is extinct. This is HSR Layout 7th Sector—supposedly posh and well-planned—now completely underwater. Thanks to government apathy, even the most developed areas are sinking under the weight of their hype. The drainage system is clogged, BBMP is fast asleep, and the administration seems to live in a parallel universe where everything is fine. On the ground, roads have disappeared beneath murky water, vehicles are submerged, and entire areas look like disaster zones.”
Tragic Losses
Amid the chaos, three people have lost their lives. A 63-year-old man, Manmohan Kamath, and a 12-year-old boy were electrocuted in the flooded basement of an apartment complex. Kamath had been using an external motor to drain water when he was fatally shocked by a short circuit. The child, also present in the basement, suffered the same tragic fate.
In a separate incident, a 35-year-old woman died when a wall collapsed during the downpour.
Monsoon Update
According to the IMD, the Southwest Monsoon has continued to advance over parts of the south Arabian Sea, the Maldives and Comorin region, as well as central and northeastern areas of the Bay of Bengal as of May 19. Conditions are favorable for further advancement over the next two to three days.
