Heavy rainfall lashed several parts of Bengaluru city on Monday morning, May 19, causing waterlogging on streets that led to heavy traffic jams. The news agency IANS shared visuals from Silk Board showing roads in the area flooded, and vehicular congestion was also seen. It was reported that Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) teams were deployed at the site to drain excess water.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued a yellow alert for several areas across Karnataka, including Bengaluru, from May 19 to 29. The alert predicts heavy to moderate rains, thunderstorms, and lightning with gusty winds reaching speeds of 50-60 kilometers per hour.
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The alert follows intense weather conditions due to cyclonic storm 'Shakti', which is likely to turn into a severe cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea and make landfall by May 24 in the West Bengal and Odisha coasts. The affected districts include Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Mandya, Mysuru, Hassan, Kodagu, Belagavi, Bidar, Raichur, Yadgir, Davanagere, and Chitradurga. Widespread rainfall and thunderstorms are expected throughout the week.
The IMD has also noted that conditions are favorable for the southwest monsoon to advance over parts of the South Arabian Sea, which may bring more widespread rain across Karnataka. In response to the yellow alert, BBMP, traffic police, and other civic bodies in Bengaluru have activated emergency plans.