Jamshedpur, May 27: Amidst heavy rainfall following cyclone Yaas threat of flood is looming large in the city and low-lying areas of adjoining localities. City’s two key rivers Swarnarekha and Kharkai are flowing on danger mark.
The local Met centre also issued an alert of thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty wind blowing at a speed of 30-40 kmph at isolated places over Kolhan on May 29.
Significantly, the fear of flood and wide scale damage caused by the incessant rains has forced a large number of villagers to abandon their houses and are taking refuge either at their relatives’ house or in make-shift camps set up for the purpose.
In the afternoon Subernarekha level stood at 119.20 m in Mango while Kharkai level remained at 132.40 m at Adityapur.
The danger mark for Kharkai and Subernarekha is 129 m and 121.5 m respectively.
Following havoc created by rain, several affected families are taking shelter in the relief camps of the district administration as their houses have been inundated with the river water in several low lying areas.
According to information, nearly 200 families, largely slum dwellers of Kharkhai and Subernarekha catchment areas, have been rescued to safer places on the insistence of the district administration.
“ We are keeping an eye on the flow of rivers. We are spreading awareness at the low lying areas.
Almost all the affected families have been rescued to the relief camps and there’s no hurry for them to get back home as we are monitoring the flood situation,” said Suraj Kumar, DC, East Singhbhum.
“In both the rivers water level is on a receding mode but we need to be constantly vigilant as Odisha is receiving heavy rains without interruption for the last few days,” said a senior official at the district flood control cell.
According to information, areas like Mango, Jugsalai, Baghbera, Parsudih have been hit. Water clogging in these areas has made it difficult for people to move.
The downpour exposed the woeful drainage system on the city roads. Choked drains resulted in water logging in different parts of the city.
Several houses in the area of Kharkai river have been inundated with river water owing to the incessant rains for the last 24 hours.
According to the reports, slums in the Baghbera, Shastrinagar, Jugsalai, Sonari among other areas that are prone to washout during monsoon season, are confronting problems.
The district administration has confirmed about a dozen odd houses in the low lying area in Baghbera that have been largely affected with the rise in the water level in Kharkai river.
In view of the cyclonic storm Yaas, three teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF ) from Bihar that reached steel city on Tuesday carried out rescue and relief operations.
