Auto driver killed as sudden rain and strong winds lash city
IMD attributed the conditions to localised thunderstorms caused by moisture inflow from both the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea
A spell of sudden rain and strong winds lashed the city on Thursday night, killing a 45-year-old man and felling several trees and disrupting traffic movement.
Though the city recorded just 20mm of rain on Thursday, the strong winds that accompanied the thundershower were powerful enough to uproot trees, causing significant damage. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the conditions to localised thunderstorms caused by moisture inflow from both the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
The victim, an auto-rickshaw driver, died after a tree came crashing down on his vehicle near a bus stop on Kathriguppe Main Road, police officers aware o the matter said on Friday.
The victim, identified as Mahesh (single name), a resident of Ittamadu in South Bengaluru, parked his auto to take shelter from the rain around 7.30 pm when the tree fell. The incident took place within the CK Achakattu police station limits, they added.
“The victim was sitting inside his auto and talking on the phone with his earphones plugged in when the tree suddenly fell on his vehicle. We rushed over and tried to rescue him from inside the crushed auto. He briefly opened his eyes but then lost consciousness again. Teams from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and BESCOM arrived at the spot soon and managed to lift the tree off the vehicle. The team members took Mahesh to hospital in an ambulance,” said a senior BBMP official, adding that the victim succumbed to his injuries.
Following the rain fury, IMD has advised residents to stay alert and avoid seeking shelter under trees during rain, cautioning against falling branches and trees. The department also forecast light to moderate showers and gusty winds in Bengaluru, with wind speeds expected to reach 40–50 kmph. Temperatures are likely to hover around a maximum of 34 degrees Celsius (°C) and a minimum of 21°C.
On Thursday, rainfall was reported in 111 of the 243 wards in Bengaluru, with Vijayanagar in the southwest part of the city receiving the highest amount at 59mm. The rain also caused a dip in temperatures, with the city recording a minimum of 20.5°C — 1.°C below normal — and the old HAL airport area noting a drop of 1.1°C.
Historically, Bengaluru has experienced heavy rainfall in May. The highest single-day rainfall recorded for the month is 153mm on May 6, 1901. In recent years, the city has seen increased rainfall during May, with the total crossing 10mm, significantly higher than the two-decade average of 129mm.
