‘Where is Bengaluru DC?’: City faces intense rain alert as parents demand school closures

The IMD has warned of very heavy rainfall across Bengaluru and its surrounding areas.

Bengaluru and other parts of South Interior Karnataka are on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts intense rainfall on Monday. The heavy downpour is linked to Cyclone Fengal, which made landfall along the Tamil Nadu coast on the night of November 30.

People wear hoodies to protect themselves from cold and moderate rain owing to Cyclone Fengal, near Vidhanasoudha in Bengaluru, Karnataka,(PTI)

The IMD has warned of very heavy rainfall across Bengaluru and its surrounding areas, raising concerns about potential disruptions to daily life.

Despite warnings of very heavy rainfall, schools and colleges in Bengaluru are set to operate as usual, with no official word on closures.

This has sparked an outcry from concerned parents and residents on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Reactions from X users:

One user expressed frustration, saying, "Horrible weather in Bengaluru. Wondering why the government hasn’t declared a holiday for schools today." Another urged authorities, "@DC_BUrban Please declare a holiday for Bengaluru schools. It is raining continuously, and we are worried about our children's safety."

Another user asked,"Where is DC Bengaluru? Wake him up if he hasn’t woken up from cold weather leaving most of the parents puzzled?".

Amid these concerns, some users shared sarcastic takes on the situation. A post read, "Since the Sun is shining bright today, the meteorology dept has decided that schools will remain fully functional in Bengaluru."

IMD weather prediction

Light to moderate rains were likely in isolated areas in the city till December 5, according to the IMD.

Cyclone Fengal updates

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday stated that the depression, a remnant of Cyclonic Storm Fengal over the north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, moved west-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h during the past six hours and was centred at 11:30 pm on December 1 (Sunday).

"The depression (remnant of Cyclonic Storm Fengal) over the north coastal Tamil Nadu & Puducherry moved west-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h during the past six hours and was centered at 23:30 IST on December 1, 2024, near latitude 12.2°N and longitude 79.2°E, about 40 km northwest of Villupuram, 70 km west-northwest of Puducherry, about 80 km northwest of Cuddalore, and 140 km southwest of Chennai," the IMD posted on X.

Google Trends

Interest in the search term "weather" surged on December 1, peaking at 6:30 AM on Monday. The highest search activity came from Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, following Cyclone Fengal's impact on Tamil Nadu and surrounding areas. Related queries included "tomorrow weather Bangalore" and “Bangalore weather tomorrow.”

Cyclone Fengal updates

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday stated that the depression, a remnant of Cyclonic Storm Fengal over the north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, moved west-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h during the past six hours and was centred at 11:30 pm on December 1 (Sunday).

"The depression (remnant of Cyclonic Storm Fengal) over the north coastal Tamil Nadu & Puducherry moved west-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h during the past six hours and was centered at 23:30 IST on December 1, 2024, near latitude 12.2°N and longitude 79.2°E, about 40 km northwest of Villupuram, 70 km west-northwest of Puducherry, about 80 km northwest of Cuddalore, and 140 km southwest of Chennai," the IMD posted on X.

Google Trends

Interest in the search term "weather" surged on December 1, peaking at 6:30 AM on Monday. The highest search activity came from Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, following Cyclone Fengal's impact on Tamil Nadu and surrounding areas. Related queries included "tomorrow weather Bangalore" and "Bangalore weather tomorrow."

(With PTI inputs)