India’s capital city, Bengaluru, is best known for its IT hub and global trade. Now, it has become the hotspot of a new flood disaster. The floods, which submerged about one-fifth of the country’s high-tech capital and brought much of it to a standstill with the displacement of thousands and destruction of property worth billions of dollars, are just the latest in a series of natural disasters that have hit India in recent years.
Bengaluru Floods: India’s Silicon Valley
On August 15, a heavy rainstorm in Bengaluru, India caused flooding that submerged parts of the city in up to 3 feet of water. The storm is estimated to have killed 17 people and injured more than 100. Flooding is common in India’s technology hub Bengaluru because of the city’s hilly topography and inadequate infrastructure. The city is also vulnerable to extreme weather events due to its close proximity to the Arabian Sea.
Bengaluru is home to several technology companies, including Google, Facebook, and Uber. The city’s prominence as India’s Silicon Valley has made it a target for cyberattacks by foreign governments and groups. In July, a hacking group called DFINITY claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack that disrupted operations at several Indian tech companies.
Flooding in Bengaluru will likely have a negative impact on the city’s economy. The floods have disrupted businesses and forced residents to evacuate their homes. The city government has announced relief funds for the victims of the floods, but it will be difficult to restore normalcy until the city’s infrastructure can withstand heavier rains.
The Beginning of the Floods
When the rains started in Bengaluru on Wednesday, September 12, most people assumed that it was just a passing shower. But by the next day, the streets were flooded and water was spilling over from gutters. In a matter of hours, the city was cut off from the rest of India and communication became impossible.
The flooding in Bengaluru has become known as India’s Silicon Valley Submerged. This is because much of the tech industry in the city is located on the floodplains of the nearby Kaveri River. The river has been rising steadily for several months, but things quickly went out of control on Wednesday when the swollen river burst its banks.
The city’s infrastructure was ill-equipped to deal with such an event. Many roads were blocked by mud and water and electricity was out across much of the city. Hospitals were inundated and people had to be evacuated by boat or helicopter. There have been reports of death and injuries, but it is still too early to say how many people have been affected.
This is not the first time that Bengaluru has been hit by floods. The city has suffered repeated floods since 1993, when torrential rain happened.
What Happened Next?
The Bengaluru floods of December 2015 were one of the worst natural disasters to hit India in recent years. The city of Bengaluru, which is home to some of the country’s leading technology companies and software development centers, was submerged under a wave of water following heavy rains that caused the River Cauvery to overflow its banks. The floods killed at least 113 people and left more than 200,000 homeless. Here’s a look at what happened next:
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a state of emergency in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu provinces affected by the floods, giving authorities more flexibility to distribute relief supplies and carry out search-and-rescue operations.
- Google donated $5 million to relief efforts through its Google Impact initiative. Microsoft followed suit with a $3 million donation. Other tech giants including Facebook, Amazon, and Twitter also made significant donations.
- Several multinational companies opened their offices in unaffected areas to help employees who were forced to flee their homes. For example, Apple opened an office in Chennai while Infosys relocated 1,000 employees from Bengaluru to its subsidiary company in Mysore.
Effects of the Floods on Businesses, Communities, and Families
Since the rains began in early July, Bengaluru has been hit with floods that have left parts of the city submerged. The floods have had a significant impact on businesses, communities, and families in the city. Here are some of the effects of the floods on businesses:
-Many businesses have been forced to close due to flooding or lack of access to customers.
-The flooding has caused damage to roads, buildings, and equipment.
-Some businesses have had to relocate their operations to other parts of the city or outside of India.
-There has been a loss of revenue for many businesses as customers are unable to come into the city.
The floods have also had a significant impact on communities and families:
-Many families have had to leave their homes because they are unsafe or unhygienic due to flooding.
-Community centres and schools have been flooded and closed, so families have had to find alternative arrangements for children’s education.
-Many people are without work because most businesses are closed. This has led to increased unemployment and poverty in affected areas.
-Food supplies have been disrupted, which has led to increased prices and hunger
Why Has This Happened?
The Bengaluru floods have left India’s Silicon Valley submerged, with businesses and homes affected by the floodwaters. The city was hit by a sudden downpour on May 12, which caused the river Cauvery to overflow its banks. This has led to widespread flooding in the city, with many roads, neighbourhoods, and businesses submerged. Even Twitter has been affected by the floods – the microblogging platform was temporarily offline due to heavy traffic.
This disaster is a major blow to India’s technology sector, which is worth over $150 billion and employs over 2 million people. The Silicon Valley district is home to some of India’s most high-profile tech companies, including Infosys, Wipro, and Flipkart. These companies employ a large number of engineers and other staff who are now unable to work due to the floods.
Although this is only the latest in a long line of natural disasters in India, it has had a particularly devastating impact on the country’s technology sector. In 2011, severe flooding caused widespread damage throughout Chennai, India’s financial capital. This setback dealt a major blow to the country’s information technology sector, which was already struggling at that time.
Prevention and Early Warning Systems
As India’s Silicon Valley is submerged in water, the response from technology companies has been swift and concerted. With more than 600 million people living in urban areas and a rapidly expanding economy, the country faces an infrastructure challenge of unprecedented scale.
Early warning systems are one area where India is leading the way. In January 2017, the Indian government announced the launch of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ City Level Early Warning System for Mumbai, one of the world’s most densely populated cities. The system uses data from weather stations, satellite images, and social media to track events such as landslides and flooding, and sends alerts to city officials and residents.
Other countries are also beginning to take notice. In May 2017, Indonesia announced plans to create a national early warning system for the country’s 26 provinces. China is also developing similar systems for its major cities. As India continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, it is essential that its infrastructure is able to withstand occasional floods – not only as a matter of public safety but also as a sign of sustainable development.
