Trees uprooted, branches fall, Kalnar cement sheets blown away

Mysore: Last evening’s rain fury accompanied by thunder, lightning, hailstorm seemed to match the electrifying Lok Sabha Election results.

Even as most of the people were savouring the people’s verdict, the skies opened up around 6 pm and for nearly two hours, accompanied by gusty winds the rain pounded the city. As a result, many trees were uprooted and branches fell on the roads. This also led to about 20 two-wheelers and about five cars being damaged and disruption of traffic.

The Kalanar cement sheets of two houses were blown away that resulted in injuries to a woman and her one-and-half year old infant. Due to rain and storm, the Kalanar sheet of the house belonging to Somesh, a resident of Chinnagirikoppal, was blown away and landed on his neighbour Mahadev Nayak’s adjoining house. The sheet has caused minor injuries to mother Swathi and the infant.

The heat was unbearable right from yesterday morning and by 5 in the evening, it was boiling hot. Around 6 pm, the skies darkened and became fully cloudy and then it started pouring. Due to strong winds, the branches of trees began to fall and a few of them fell on electric wires that immediately led to power cuts in many areas in the city.

In many areas including the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club, people witnessed fall of hailstones. Elders and children were seen happily collecting them.

Nearly four to five trees and 50 branches have fallen all over the city. The branches that have fallen include five on Chamarajapuram’s Jayalakshmi Road, two on Krishnaraja Boulevard Road, one on Maharaja’s College Road, two near Ramaswamy Circle, three on Chamaraja Double Road, two near Nalapak Hotel on Dewans’ Road, one near Aroma Bakery on Dhanavanthri Road. This has caused damaged to more than 20 two-wheelers and one car.

The other places where branches have fallen due to heavy rain and strong winds are near Bandantamma Temple Road in Kuvempunagar where eight branches have fallen on electric wires plunging the area into darkness. There was water logging in many places including near Multi-crafts Complex, Kalanagara, affecting the free flow of traffic. Water entered into a few houses in Gowrishankarnagar and Kanakagiri.

MCC, KEB swing into action

The officials of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) headed by Health Officer Dr. Nagaraj and Assistant Executive Engineer Sadashiva Chatni of Horticulture Department, swung into action since this morning and were trying to clear the trees and the branches that have fallen on the road due to last night’s heavy rain.

The Shaktiman (multi-purpose machine that can prune trees and branches) team were seen clearing branches and trees near Government Ayruveda College Circle, Valmiki Road, Bamboo Bazaar, Exhibition, Hardinge Circle, behind Maharaja’s PU College and the Shani Mahatma Temple near University of Mysore Swimming Pool.

Chatni told Star of Mysore that the fully grown tall trees with most of the branches hanging on the busy Mysuru-Ooty Road opposite to the East Gate of the Palace had to be cut. But the Horticulture Department or MCC was finding it difficult as they had to seek permission from the Forest Department.

If the Forest Department staff themselves prune the branches and trees on this stretch, it would solve the problem, otherwise if they give them permission to do it, they would go ahead to cut the branches and twigs, he added.