Heavy downpour disrupts normal life in Bengaluru

Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed Bengaluru on Monday evening for over an hour, as water-logging disrupted normal life and caused traffic chaos across the city's thoroughfares.

"The heavy rain, strong wind and thunder are due to the northeast monsoon gathering momentum and spreading across the state's southern region from Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh," a Met department official told IANS.

Though setting of the northeast monsoon was delayed by 10 days, it became active since Saturday with rain-bearing clouds due to upper air circulation.

"More rains are expected in the city over the next couple of days, as the year's second monsoon will have favourable conditions," the official said.

The Met office recorded 51 mm of rain in the city till 8.30 p.m., even as the downpour reduced to intermittent.

"Rains will continue through the night and sky will remain cloudy, while night temperature will decrease by 2 degrees Celsius," the official added.

The southwest monsoon ended in September on a deficit note and October had a prolonged dry spell with day temperature 2-3 degrees Celsius above normal.

The sudden downpour caught the city's denizens unawares, as thousands of them were either heading home from work, shopping or for outing.

With power cuts snapping traffic signals and many roads water-logged due to choked drains, vehicle owners had a harrowing time in driving out of grid locks.

Vehicular movement was reduced to a snail's pace in central business district, shopping areas and markets, as many wanted to rush home.