1 stormy hour

Big thunderstorm last evening. Prashanth did the right thing by leaving at 7, while I kept postponing even though not feeling well. The rain + wind started suddenly around 7:30 & boy it was something.

Bangalore had been abnormally warm since the last 3 weeks with no sign of rain & this, it seemed, was payback time for the precipitation department. The wind was howling in through the glass walls of the office, and the rest room doors wouldn't open because of the pressure!

Decided to have dinner at the office itself (that makes it breakfast, lunch and dinner, all at the office yesterday) & found out that part of the false ceiling of the top floor had been blown out by the wind.


The scene resembled the aftermath of a small bomb having gone off. There was a thin film of water spread all over the cafeteria floor.

Thankfully the rain had stopped by 9, and we came down to the lobby to find the 8 foot glass main door smashed to small bits & glass all over the reception area. Desisited from taking pics since there was a lot of security present. Outside the gate there was a 6 foot wide stream of water rushing down towards Silk Board. Akshay, Baishaly & me took the detour towards Total Mall & luckily found a 201 headed our way. Hopped on promptly for an uneventful but (God be praised) dry ride home.

Arni called up asking for candles, but there weren't any to be found in the shops that were still open. The area around the temple was like a warzone ..... very dark, no lights, branches & leaves strewn around & utility poles bent at crazy angles with their wires sagging to the ground. This was a result of a large branch that fell directly on a pole near Bharath Computers, snapping it into 2 and taking out all the poles in the vicinity.

The electricity had not been restored till this morning when I left for office. Hopefully it will be when I get home in the evening. But I'm still worried about the cable & broadband connections. Let's see.

EDIT: There was no power in the evening, but the BESCOM guys worked into the night under an irritating drizzle to get everything restored by 10 p.m. Yup, power, cable & broadband .... all of' 'em.