Weather Wrap: 1 Dead After Building Collapses Amid Heavy Rains In Bengaluru; GRAP-II Enforced In Delhi

Heavy rains battered Karnataka's Bengaluru, leading to severe waterlogging across various parts of the city and a death after an under-construction building collapsed . Meanwhile, Delhi battled with thick layers of smog as the city's air quality fell to the 'very poor' category.

The East Coast is preparing for a cyclone as a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday morning as it moved towards the eastern coast.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the depression will further intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 23.

Bengaluru Rains

• Building Collapses: A worker died after an under-construction seven-storey building collapsed in Bengaluru's Babusapalya area on Tuesday amid heavy rains. Two rescue vans from the fire and emergency department were sent for rescue operations. D Devaraja, Deputy Commissioner of Police told the media, "Approximately 20 people were trapped. One body has been recovered, 14 workers have been rescued and five are still missing." Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar visited the spot and took stock of the situation. He said that out of the 14 rescued, seven were in the hospital.

• Severe Waterlogging: Heavy rains filled up several streets across Bengaluru as incessant downpours lashed the city. Belanduru Traffic Police said there was slow-moving traffic on the outer ring road at Ecospace junction, towards Devarabesanahalli to Bellandur junction due to water logging. Sarjapura Road at Wipro junction and RBD layout junction also reported slow traffic.

• NDRF Rescue Operations: Residents of Bengaluru's Yelahanka faced severe difficulties due to waterlogging amid heavy rainfall in the city. The labourers in the area were also affected by the rains. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and police were engaged in rescue operations at Kendriya Vihar apartments in Yelahanka, using ropes and boats to bring out residents from the area. "NDRF team received info that 2,000-3,000 people are stranded here... Three teams are working here and we have relieved one team to go to another place where 200-300 people are stranded...Rescue is underway, an official told news agency ANI.

• JDS Slams Karnataka Govt: Janata Dal Secular (JDS) on Tuesday slammed the Karnataka government for their so-called "visionary" governance. The party took to X and wrote, "Welcome to Brand Bengaluru! Where a physically challenged woman falling into a pothole during heavy rains is just another day in paradise. While @siddaramaiah & @DKShivakumar keep patting themselves on the back for their 'visionary' governance, the city's crumbling infrastructure is doing all the talking. BBMP's mastery in turning roads into death traps is unmatched. Bravo on setting new standards of neglect and irresponsibility." BJP State President BY Vijayendra also attacked the Bengaluru Development Minister and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar for the condition of the city.

• Schools Closed: Though Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner Jagadish G ordered the closure of schools and Anganwadi centres on Monday due to heavy rainfall, the holiday notice has not been extended to Tuesday yet. People were seen wading through flooded streets and roads to reach their destination.

• Weather Alert: The India Meteorological Department said that light to moderate rainfall at isolated places is likely over the region during the week. "Isolated heavy rainfall very likely over South Interior Karnataka October 21-23.

Pollution In Delhi

• Poor AQI: Delhi is grappling with air pollution as the air quality index (AQI) of the national capital dropped to the 'very poor' category on Tuesday, with 27 monitoring stations falling in the red zone, the Central Pollution Control Board said. A thick layer of smog engulfed the national capital and CPCB said that AQI at 9 am was recorded at 317. AQI of many areas including Mundka, Bawana, Wazirpur, Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Alipur, Ashok Vihar, Aya Nagar, Burari, Dwarka, Mandir Marg, dropped to 'very poor' levels.

• GRAP-II: In view of the deteriorating air quality, officials were prompted to enforce Stage II of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi, which enforces a ban on the use of coal and firewood, including tandoors in hotels, restaurants, and open eateries, as well as diesel generator sets, except for emergency and essential services. Notably, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

• Weather: The national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 20.4 degrees Celsius, which is two notches above the season normal. The IMD said that humidity was at 93 per cent at 8:30 am. The weather department forecast a clear sky for the day, with the maximum temperature likely to settle at 35 degrees Celsius.

Cyclone Alert For East Coast: Bengal, Odisha

• Low-Pressure Area Into Depression: The IMD has issued weather alerts for West Bengal and Odisha as a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday morning as it moved towards the eastern coast, with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm. The weather office said that the low-pressure area concentrated into a depression and lay centred at 730 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 770 km south-southeast of Safar island in West Bengal at 5:30 am.

• Cyclonic Storm Warning: The IMD said that the depression will further intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 23 and cross north Odisha and southern West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar in the early morning hours of October 25 as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph.

• Odisha Weather: The IMD has issued rainfall alerts for Odisha given the likely impact of the cyclonic storm. Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is likely over Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsingpur, Puri, Khorda, Ganjam, and Gajapati districts on October 23. "Heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over Baleswar, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsingpur Kendujhar, Jajpur, Cuttack and Dhenkanal and Puri on October 24 and 25.

• Bengal Weather: The weather department warned of light to moderate rainfall in most places with heavy rainfall at isolated places on October 23. It added that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over South and North 24 Paraganas, East and West Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata and Bankura districts of Gangetic West Bengal on October 24 and 25.

• IMD Advisory: The weather office has advised fishermen not to venture into the East-central Bay of Bengal from October 21 to 24. It also advised them to not go into the adjoining areas of the West-central Bay of Bengal on October 23 and 24. Additionally, the North Bay of Bengal and along and off Odisha, West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts during October 23 and 25 are also areas specified for the fishermen to stay away from.