Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai visits Yelahanka apartments in Bengaluru.
Residents of Bengaluru finally had the fortune to see the bright sun this morning after days of incessant rainfall caused widespread damage across the capital city of Karnataka.
Heavy rain on Sunday night left an apartment complex in Yelahanka, a tech park and a research centre in Bengaluru, flooded along with several other places.
Residents of Kendriya Vihar apartment were shifted out using boats on Monday. The water levels have come down but Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had to stay inside his vehicle as he drove through the waterlogged apartment complex.
One resident, Meena Nagarajan, was on her way to stay with her daughter elsewhere in the city for a couple of days. She told NDTV, “We are here for the past 15,16 years. My husband and I are staying here. This is the first time we are experiencing floods here. I personally think it is due to illegal construction around this place occupying the lake areas. I don't know what government is going to do.”
Mr Shivaprasad, President of the apartment's resident's association told NDTV, “This is the first time. 130 mm of rain has caused this kind of inundation. This apartment is almost 21 years old.”
Mr Bommai said, "There is unprecedented rain. Along the main drain there are issues. There is water-logging in apartments. We are clearing it. We are taking a lot of permanent measures like making main drain clear and building new drains".
"I am taking stock of the situation and will talk to all my senior engineers and officers and see there is some solution for all this water-logging in different areas of Bengaluru," he added.
The chief minister said the main problem in Karnataka is crop loss. "I have asked my officers to do the survey quickly so that we can pay the compensation immediately."
He also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the flood situation in the state.
"Prime Minister @narendramodi today called Chief Minister Shri @BSBommai to take stock of the situation due to heavy rains and floods in Karnataka. Chief Minister updated the relief and rescue measures taken by the government," Mr Bommai posted on his Twitter account.
"Prime Minister expressed his deep concern over the crop loss and loss of lives. PM assured to provide all the necessary cooperation and assistance," he said.
The Yelahanka, Nagavara, Kogilu Cross and Vidyaranyapura areas of the city were particularly affected by the rain.
The heavy rain in Karnataka followed massive flooding in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh due to a depression from the Bay of Bengal crossing the coasts of these southern states bringing in heavy downpour.