‘Sampangi lake reclaims its legacy’: Bengaluru's Kanteerava Stadium flooded after heavy rains

Life in Bengaluru remained disrupted on Tuesday following an intense spell of rain that has battered the city for the past 36 hours.

A viral video showing floodwaters gushing into Bengaluru's iconic Kanteerava Stadium after intense rainfall on Monday has sparked both concern and reflection.

The video, widely circulated on social media, captures water entering the stadium premises and pooling inside.(X/@ThreadsNarrator)

The video, widely circulated on social media, captures water entering the stadium premises and pooling inside, disrupting sporting activities and raising questions about the city's drainage infrastructure.

Reacting to the video, a Bengaluru resident wrote, “This isn’t Kanteerava Stadium, it’s Sampangi Lake reclaiming its legacy. Nature always finds a way.”

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The remark is a poignant reminder of the city’s lost water bodies. Sampangi Lake, once a 35-acre expanse in the heart of old Bengaluru, played a vital role in the city's early development.

It served both the native Pete area and the British cantonment, supporting horticulture, fishing, and daily water needs. Over time, however, the lake was drained, and parts of its bed were repurposed, eventually becoming the site for Kanteerava Stadium.

Life in Bengaluru remained disrupted on Tuesday following an intense spell of rain that has battered the city for the past 36 hours. Streets turned into streams, traffic crawled across several key routes, and residents were seen wading through knee-deep water as the city struggled to stay afloat.

According to officials, the rain-related death toll in Karnataka has risen to five.

One of the worst-hit areas, Sai Layout, continued to resemble an island, with the ground floors of several houses half-submerged. Residents were trapped indoors, unable to step out due to flooding. On Monday, approximately 150 people were rescued and relocated to safer areas by emergency teams, authorities said.

The heavy rains have once again exposed the city’s fragile infrastructure, prompting renewed calls for better urban planning and flood preparedness.