Bengaluru rain toll rises to 10: Electrocutions, wall collapse expose safety lapses

The heavy rain in Bengaluru on Wednesday led to several trees and branches falling, with some landing on parked vehicles. (Photo by special arrangement)The death toll from Wednesday’s heavy rain spell in Bengaluru rose to 10 on Thursday, with three more deaths being reported—two due to electrocution and one caused by a structure collapsing during the storm. The latest fatalities come a day after seven people were killed in a wall collapse near Bowring Hospital. Several members of a family lost their lives after a compound wall collapsed following continuous rain. The wall is reported to have given way due to waterlogging and weakened structural stability, trapping those nearby under the debris.Other incidents were reported from different parts of the city. In Yarab Nagar, a student identified as Syed Sufiyan, 17, died after coming into contact with a live electric source. According to family members, Sufiyan, who had recently passed his First PUC examination, had stepped out during the rain to park his motorcycle when electricity allegedly leaked from a nearby pole. He collapsed on the spot. His body was later shifted to Bowring Hospital for post-mortem examination. The police have launched an investigation. In another incident, Raghu, a 35-year-old resident of J D Mara slum, died of electrocution near the Sarakki bus stop close to Vega City Mall on Bannerghatta Road. The incident occurred around 8.25 pm amid heavy rain. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) South Zone. Preliminary reports suggest a possible electrical leak, and officials are examining the exact source. A third fatality was reported from Chamarajapet, where Manjunath died on the spot after a cement block fell and pierced through the roof of a house during the storm. According to initial information, the structure may have been weakened by the continuous rain, leading to the collapse of a part of the building. The impact proved fatal, and he was declared dead at the scene. The police have taken up investigations in all three cases to determine the causes, particularly focusing on possible lapses in electrical safety and structural integrity. “We have registered cases in all three incidents and are investigating the exact cause. Necessary action will be taken based on our findings”, a senior police officer confirmed. The incidents have raised concerns about infrastructure safety during heavy rains, including exposed electrical lines, waterlogging, and weakened structures, as Bengaluru continues to grapple with the impact of the downpour.