Bengaluru was once again overwhelmed by heavy rains this week, causing flash floods, multiple deaths, and widespread disruption across the city. As streets turned into waterways and vehicles became makeshift boats, social media was flooded with humorous yet critical posts highlighting the city’s failing infrastructure.

The rains, starting last weekend, have already claimed five lives—two from electrocution and one woman who died after a wall collapsed on her. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert for Karnataka on May 20, warning of extremely heavy rainfall in Bengaluru and other regions. Despite the severity of the situation, netizens expressed their frustration through viral memes and sharp commentary. One popular tweet said, “#BengaluruRains expose the city’s fragility. Like Gurgaon and Gurugram, these tech hubs crumble under a single rain, revealing their infrastructural flaws.” Another user commented, “I pay my taxes and don’t use government freebies, but I at least expect a city that doesn’t collapse at the first sign of rain, even before monsoon season.”

An entrepreneur from Bengaluru, Arun Vinayak, shared a photo of his flooded car, captioned humorously: “Building hardware in India is tougher when your office, cars, and homes need to be IP67 rated.” The image went viral, prompting witty responses like “Home submarine scheme” and “Add some fish and turn it into a spa day.”

Floodwaters also engulfed key sites such as the Kanteerava Stadium, where the upcoming Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin event is scheduled. Social media users joked, “This isn’t Kanteerava Stadium—it’s Sampangi Lake returning,” along with videos of the stadium submerged. Other affected locations included HSR Layout, Silk Board Metro Station, Shanti Nagar Bus Stand, and many low-lying residential neighborhoods. Visuals showed stranded commuters, flooded houses, and overwhelmed drainage systems.

The IMD forecast predicts no immediate relief, with heavy rains expected to continue for the next two days. Their latest update mentioned a “partly cloudy sky with chances of heavy rain or thunderstorms,” placing Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Belagavi, and Bagalkot under alert.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reported that the city recorded 104 mm of rain—well above expectations. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, speaking from the BBMP control room, confirmed ongoing flood control efforts. “We identified 210 flood-prone areas—166 have been resolved, work is ongoing in 24, and action will begin soon in the remaining 20,” he said in an ANI interview.

Shivakumar also noted that 197 km of stormwater drains have been constructed and ₹2,000 crore allocated to improve drainage infrastructure. Out of 132 traffic trouble spots identified, 82 have been fixed, with the remainder under review.