17 feared trapped after under-construction building collapses in Bengaluru

At least 17 people were feared trapped after a building collapsed in Horamavu Agara area in the eastern part of Bengaluru, PTI reported. Rescue operations are underway. 

"17 people are feared trapped inside the building and rescue operation is being carried out in a coordinated effort with help from other agencies," a senior police officer told PTI.

According to preliminary inquiry, the entire building collapsed following which people got trapped underneath, a fire department official told PTI. Two rescue vans from the fire and emergency department have been pressed into rescue operations.

The building collapse took place on the day several parts of the city witnessed heavy rain.

Five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed to evacuate marooned people with the help of coracles in the country's IT capital on Tuesday. 

North Bengaluru bore the brunt of the rains as several areas were flooded in and around Yelahanka, PTI reported.

According to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Yelahanka received 157 mm (six inches) rain in just six hours from Tuesday midnight to Tuesday 6 am. Kendriya Vihar in Yelahanka resembled a river with waist-deep water. 

The rescue workers rescued people using a coracle. Due to the waterlogging, normal life was thrown out of gear in Northern Bengaluru. People preferred staying indoors, while many passengers missed their flights, trains and buses. Children were not able to go to schools in areas that were flooded. Many houses in low-lying areas and near lakes were inundated. 

Household items, vehicles and electronic goods were damaged. There was severe traffic jam on many important roads. Ballari Road that leads to the Kempegowda International Airport, witnessed chock-a-block for several kilometers. The Tumakuru Road, Old Madras Road and Kanakapura Road too saw severe traffic congestion. 

BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath waded in knee deep to reach out to the residents living in the area. 

‘We cannot stop nature’: Karnataka deputy CM

Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said,"You might have noticed in the media what is happening in Dubai and Delhi. There is pollution in Delhi and rains in Dubai, which is a drought prone region. There is a similar situation in many parts of the country. We are managing." 

"We cannot stop nature but we are there. I am also gathering information from the entire team. My visit is not important because if I go, I will get media attention but the purpose is not to gain publicity but to give relief to the rain affected people," Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru development portfolio, added.