VIDEO: When Bengalureans fished in rainwater!

Madiwala, Begur and Lalbagh tanks breached due to heavy rain
The Lalbagh lake swelled up after a decade!
Bengaluru received 33 mm rainfall, the highest rainfall has been recorded from Kengeri - 10 cm!

The continuous downpour that battered the city for over 12 hours on September 2 May, threw life out of gear for many Bengalureans. Thousands of houses were inundated, roads were water-logged and many tanks were breached exposing the City's unpreparedness for the rain havoc. But on a positive note, the Saturday's rain has been the reason for many Bengalureans to cheer up. Here's why.

Following incessant rains, the Madiwala lake was breached. Young kids were seen fishing in the tank canal. Due to heavy rainfall, the tank canal was breached and children had cast their net to catch fish from the swelled-up canal. They were seen selling them in a plastic cover for Rs 100 per kilogram! Even at Begur tank breach, people were seen playing in the rainwater as if to relive their childhood days.

Even the Lalbagh lake was breached due to heavy rains. In fact, the last time the tank breached was in 2007. After 10 years, the Lalbagh tank has swelled cheering the State Horticulture Department. Not just that the Lalbagh Walkers' Association is also upbeat about the tank that has filled up after 10 years.

It is reported that to mark the occasion, the department personnel and the members from the walkers' community have offered 'Bagina' to the lake. 'Bagina' is a kind of thanks-giving tradition offered by the state leaders whenever a river or tank swells up indicating bounty of water. Water from Jayanagar 1 block, Kanaka Palya, South End Circle and other surrounding areas flows into the lake.

According to Kannada Prabha, last time when the Lalbagh tank - located in the 30 acres of the park - breached, there was no proper measure in place to hold the water. As a result, water had gushed into Siddaiah Road, Sudhamanagar and up to Shantinagar. But this time, the breach has not damaged any plants or trees, reports Kannada Prabha quoting the officials. As a concrete bund has been built around the lake and a canal has been built to allow the water to flow whenever the tank swells up, says State Horticulture Department Deputy Director M Chandrashekhar.

Not to mention the Nagarbhavi flyover where rain water was flowing down on to the vehicles plying in the underpass. It appeared as falls, such was the intensity of the water logging on the flyover. Twitterati did not spare time to hail it 'Nayagara' Falls!

Similar scenes were witnessed in 2016 as well, after rains hit the city for over 15 hours. Videos and pictures of residents fishing near the Madivala lake area were widely shared then.