Bengaluru breaks 133-year-old June rainfall record, India

The Indian Meteorological Department’s observatory registered a record-breaking rainfall of 111 mm (4.37 inches) in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, by 23:30 LT on Sunday, June 2, 2024, surpassing the previous record of 101.6 mm (4 inches) for single-day June rainfall set 133 years ago on June 16, 1891.

• The amount of rain Bengaluru recorded on Sunday is equivalent to the entire average for the month of June.

The onset of the Southwest Monsoon has been declared in Karnataka, bringing extensive rainfall across its coastal areas and representing a noteworthy climatic occurrence within the state.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, predicting a cloudy sky with intermittent rain or thundershowers on Monday, June 3. The downpour is expected to persist until June 5, as per the IMD’s weekly weather report.

For the city, the weather department has issued a yellow alert, forecasting cloudy skies and occasional spells of rain or thundershowers from June 3 to 5. During these three days, the maximum temperature is anticipated to range between 31 and 32 °C (88 and 90 °F), with the minimum hovering around 20 – 21 °C (68 – 70 °F).

The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) documented consistent moderate to heavy rainfall throughout the city, with Hampi Nagar registering the highest accumulation at 110.5 mm (4.35 inches). 

More than 100 trees were toppled, while branches from over 500 others caused damage to roads, residences, and vehicles. The city also experienced power outages due to fallen trees and uprooted vegetation damaging transmission lines. 

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) reported impairment to light poles, transformers, and service stations, resulting in some areas being without power throughout the night.

Heavy rainfall on Sunday led to waterlogging in numerous areas of Bengaluru, resulting in significant traffic disruptions and impacting metro services. Key locations such as Hebbal Underpass, KFC Road to Gunjur Road, Chikkajala Kote Cross, Benniganahalli Railway Bridge, and Hebbal Circle experienced severe congestion.

Confirming the monsoon’s arrival, the IMD stated that thundershowers hit Bengaluru and parts of south Karnataka on Saturday. The downpour on Sunday caused waterlogging at 58 spots, the uprooting of 206 trees, and the falling of tree branches at 41 sites. 

Operations on Namma Metro’s Purple Line were halted between Indiranagar and MG Road due to a fallen tree branch obstructing the tracks. Namma Metro stated, “Due to a tree branch falling on the Metro tracks just after Trinity station towards MG Road, trains are operating only between Indiranagar and Whitefield, and MG Road and Challaghatta from 7.26 pm. Efforts are on to clear the branch and resume normal operations.”

According to IMD forecasts, Bengaluru can expect “generally cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rainfall and thundershowers over the next 48 hours.” Maximum and minimum temperatures are projected to be around 30 °C (86 °F) and 20 °C (68 °F), respectively. 

The monsoon is anticipated to progress further into central Karnataka in the coming days, bringing light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers to most districts.

References:

¹ Bengaluru breaks 133-year record with highest rain in a single day in June – India Today – June 3, 2024

² Karnataka Welcomes Monsoon, Bengaluru Breaks 133-Year Rainfall Record – One India – June 3, 2024

Featured image credit: Arjun Vasudevan (stillshot)