PLANS GO AWRY: People had a tough time as rain lashed Bangalore for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. The sight of people rushing home and traffic jams was common on many roads. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Heavy rain, accompanied by gusty wind, lashed the city for the fourth day on Friday. There were reports of tree fall and water entering houses. On several roads traffic moved at a snail's pace because of waterlogging.

According to the Met Department the city received 33.6 mm rain. The airport and Yelahanka received 1.4 mm and 6.4 mm rain respectively.

It was a relatively sunny day till the afternoon. The sky became overcast towards evening, making people hurry to their homes. The rain started around 5.30 p.m. and it poured for nearly three hours.

The BMP Control Room was flooded with telephone calls about tree fall and collapse of electricity poles. There were reports of tree fall from Jayanagar 7th Block, South End Circle, Edward Road, Sultanpalya, Indira Nagar 13th Main, Indiranagar Ist Stage, Indiranagar 9th Main Road, Fraser Town, Mosque Road, Don Bosco Church in Lingarajapuram, ITC Factory in Jeevanahalli, MEG Ground, Chinnappa Garden, 4th Cross Seshadri Road, Basavanagudi, Nandidurga Road, K.R. Road, Brunton Road, and Madiwala. BMP vehicles were sent to remove the trees.

There were reports of water entering the houses in EWS Quarters in ward no. 60 and in CIL Layout in Hebbal. There were also reports of fall of electricity poles from 15 places, which the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd. personnel were asked to clear.

There were traffic snarls on all major roads, including Hosur Road, Old Madras Road, Residency Road, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Richmond Road, and Airport Road. According to director of Indian Meteorological Department, Bangalore, Anand L. Koppar, the pattern of thunderstorms following a sunny atmosphere was "slightly unusual." One of the reasons for this, he said, was the air circulation pattern called "synoptic situation." This air circulation when mixed with different types of air mass led to thunderstorms. Such thunderstorms, he said, were likely to continue for another two days. After a brief lull there will again be spells of rain, Mr. Koppar said.

Chairman of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) N.C. Muniyappa has directed engineers to set up a control room to combat the possible crisis from rain which may continue for some more days.

The control room will function from the BTM Layout BWSSB service station, and for attending to any emergency work the affected public can call 22945151/ 22945153 or 22945154.

Two killed

Two persons, staying in a thatched hut under a tree on Binny Crescent Road, were killed when the tree fell following heavy rain. The police gave the names of the victims as Murugan (21) and his father Kullappa. Both were construction labourers.

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