Bengaluru reports lowest May temperature in 10 years

According to IMD data, the previous lowest maximum temperature recorded in the last 10 years was 33.8° C on May 2, 2015. The coldest day in May in the last five decades in Bengaluru was on May 14, 1972, when the maximum temperature recorded was 22.2°C.

Heavy rainfall that resulted from cyclone Asani has brought Bengaluru’s temperatures to their lowest in May in a decade but municipal authorities fear that the city is at risk of being overwhelmed by flooding.

On Wednesday, Bengaluru city recorded the minimum temperature of 19.5°C and a maximum temperature of 24°C — the lowest temperature in May in the past 10 years. (PTI)

On Wednesday, Bengaluru city recorded the minimum temperature of 19.5°C and a maximum temperature of 24°C — the lowest temperature in May in the past 10 years, according to the data released by the Bengaluru chapter of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

According to IMD data, the previous lowest maximum temperature recorded in the last 10 years was 33.8° C on May 2, 2015. The coldest day in May in the last five decades in Bengaluru was on May 14, 1972, when the maximum temperature recorded was 22.2°C.

The city has received 255 mm of rain since March 1 -- a 171-mm departure from normal.

“Bengaluru will continue to receive light to moderate rainfall till May 16. For the next 48 hours, the sky will be generally cloudy. Rain is very likely. Maximum and Minimum temperatures are very likely to be around 26 and 21 Degree Celsius respectively,” the IMD said on Thursday.

Wednesday’s data from IMD indicated a deviation from normal of 9°C in the maximum temperature.

The drop in temperature is a result of cyclone Asani, which reached the Andhra Pradesh coast after weakening into a cyclonic storm.

According to an IMD official, similar weather was likely continue over Bengaluru till May 16.

The frequent downpours however, seem to be overwhelming the city’s infrastructure and authorities are worried about the situation that will crop up after the seasonal rainfall starts.

Over this month, water-logging and potholes were reported several times across the city.

A senior official of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) -- Bengaluru’s municipal corporation -- said that the city cannot handle more than 70 mm per hour of rainfall and several lakes in the city are already filled to the brim. According to the official, there are around 100 flood-prone areas in the city, but the city’s lakes and drains do not have enough space to store water if heavy rain continues in May.

BBMP chief commissioner Tushar Girinath said that monsoon preparedness, preventing the spread of Covid-19 and enhancement of infrastructure were his top priorities.

“Every year, citizens are inconvenienced during the monsoon. I will identify short-term solutions. Precautionary measures should be taken to avoid any problems during the rainy season within BBMP limits. The civic body, Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) should work in coordination and respond to citizens’ woes immediately. I will make sure that citizens’ complaints are addressed,” Girinath said.

He has asked officers to identify the most vulnerable areas in the city and clear silt from the drains. Safety equipment should be provided to personnel operating during the rainy season. The work of the contractors must be supervised by the officers. He added that work of clearing stormwater drains is underway in several areas.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in its performance audit report on the management of stormwater in the Bengaluru Urban area released in September 2021, had pointed out that the BBMP did not possess fool-proof data on the total number/ length and nature of different types of drains under its jurisdiction.

“The absence of a comprehensive inventory of drains and their proper classification contributed to a lack of clarity on critical issues such as the extent of a buffer zone to be maintained, etc. This, in turn, hampered maintenance of drains as many utility lines like electrical, telephone, optical cable, etc., were laid across the drains in many locations obstructing flow in the drains,” the CAG noted, adding that BBMP had also failed to prepare an SWD manual specifying the design, construction and maintenance of the drain infrastructure of the city.

The CAG also stated that BBMP had failed to factor in reasons for high-intensity rainfall due to rapid urbanisation, did not adhere to the provisions of the Indian Road Congress and the guidelines of the National Disaster Management Authority while designing and constructing roads/ drains, and failed to prevent inflow of sewage, clear encroachments and blockages, and in general upkeep of the drains by taking up periodical inspections. All this has resulted in continuous misuse of the drains, the CAG report had said.