North, northwest Bengaluru got more rain than other areas this year

BENGALURU: Bengaluru Urban district has witnessed an unusual rain pattern this year with its North taluk receiving above normal rainfall. The figure was below normal in the other three taluks — South, East and Anekal.


Rainfall deficiency was the highest in Bengaluru East taluk (13%).

Bengaluru North taluk comprises Bengaluru North, Dasanapura, Hesaraghatta, Jala, Yelahanka and Yeshwantpur hoblis and lies to the north, northwestern and western parts of the city. Among the six hoblis, Hesaraghatta had the maximum precipitation with 28% excess rainfall. Most of it was in the month of October. Rainfall in this part of the district has been so heavy that a breach in Doddabidarakallu Lake flooded hundreds of houses last week.

Rakshitha NK, a resident of Mallathahalli in west Bengaluru, said, “The weather in our part of the city has been crazy in the past few weeks. Early mornings are chilly and it get hot by afternoon. By evening, there are heavy showers. In the past 10 days or so, it has rained almost every day. Interestingly, Indiranagar, the place where I go to work, hasn’t received much rain this year.”

The heavy rain in north and northwestern Bengaluru is itself an unusual development. According to rainfall data over the years, it is usually the south and southwestern parts that receive above-average rain.

Weather scientists, however, said they have to wait and analyse rainfall data for a few more years to conclude whether the pattern has changed for the city.

Shubha Avinash, project scientist (hydrology) at KSNDMC, said, “While it is true that north and northwestern parts of the city received more rain this year, we can’t analyse the shift pattern based on one year’s data. We need to analyse long-term data before we arrive at a conclusion.”