Bengaluru Rains: City witnesses wettest year in 115 years
Heavy rains over the last two months made 2017 Bengaluru's wettest year in 115 years, according to India Meteorological Department. Bengaluru received 1615.2mm rainfall in 2017 (as of 14 October morning), surpassing the city's highest annual rainfall record of 1606.8mm in 2005. IMD-Bengaluru Director L Ramesh Babu said annual rainfall could be much higher as over two months are left in 2017. Read more!
A senior IMD official said Bengaluru is experiencing heavy rains due to a unique weather system. It's witnessing an extended south-west monsoon while the north-east monsoon is also arriving soon. He also added: "The combination of the weather system coupled by low-pressure situation created in the Arabian Sea is resulting in showers over interior Karnataka and Bengaluru falls in this region."
The official stated: "One has to analyze the possible relation to climate change as extreme weather events are related to it. Bengaluru is a growing city and has been experiencing heat island effect which further results in rainfall after a prolonged harsh summer or dry-run."
Incessant rains on 13 October set the new rainfall record for Bengaluru, wreaking havoc. A priest and a mother-daughter duo were washed away while a couple died in a wall collapse. Karnataka BJP President Yeddyurappa and Union Minister DV Sadananda Gowda visited the affected families. BJP announced Rs. 1L compensation for the families of the deceased and Rs. 50,000 to those injured critically.
