Jamshedpur, Aug 20: Several parts of the three districts in Kolhan division have been hit by the flash floods with low lying areas in the Steel city being largely affected with surged water in the river Subarnarekha and Kharkai flowing above the danger mark for the last several hours.
Scores of people residing in the catchment area have been hit by the flood water following heavy rain in the last 24 hours. Over 200 houses in worst affected areas like Shastri Nagar, Baghbera, Mango and Bhuiyandih have been submerged in rainwater.
According to the reports, slums in the Baghbera, Sashtrinagar, Jugsalai, Sonari, Daiguttu, among other areas that are prone to washout during monsoon season are confronting problems at present with several houses getting submerged in and around the city periphery.
Meanwhile, DC Vijaya Jadhav along with other administrative officers rushed to the spots and ordered immediate relief measures.
In the neighbouring Seraikela district dozens of dwelling units located in the riverbank area of river Kharkhai have been inundated with the flood water though, there are no reports of people being rescued to safer places, thus far.
Electricity was snapped in several areas due to the storm. Several poles and wires went haywire in the rain. “Power supply is disturbed in the major part of Jamshedpur where power is supplied through overhead wiring systems. Many tree branches have fallen on overhead lines. In a few 33 kv and 11 kv lines insulators have also got punctured. Electricity dept team with sufficient manpower is working for restoration but hampered badly due to continuous rain,” said an official.
Meanwhile, Met officials said that the deep depression which originated from the Bay of Bengal resulted in heavy to very heavy rain during the past 24 hours.
The deep depression was located over southern Jharkhand and adjoining north Odisha and West Bengal near latitude 22.5°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 40 km south-southwest of Jamshedpur, about 120 Km southeast of Ranchi and about 220 Km east-northeast of Jharsuguda (Odisha).
According to rain statistics, Jamshedpur recorded around 140 mm of rain while Ranchi and its adjoining areas recorded rainfall between 55 and 90 mm during the past 24 hours.
The overnight rain in southern and central Jharkhand was accompanied by wind blowing at a speed of 55 and 65 Kmph. The gusty wind broke branches and uprooted trees at several places in Kolhan and several other places in southern Jharkhand disrupting traffic and power supply.
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.
“We had no alternative than to move out from our ancestor’s land as dam water is going up at a tremendous level. Our village has partially submerged,” said Sudarshan Mahto, a resident of Rampur village in Chandil.
He said he was moving to a relative’s house located on the high land along the NH-33.
DC reviews situation after rainstorm, visits low-lying areas
East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Vijaya Jadhav visited several low-lying areas of the city following continuous rain for the last 24 hours. She visited Shatrinagar behind Jaiprabha Complex and found six to seven houses completely inundated. She appealed to the residents to move to the nearest shelter houses. She also visited Nirmal Ghat and asked people to leave the place in view of rising river water level and bad weather. She said the district administration had set up several shelter houses across the city for people affected by the rainstorm.
The team of district administration also went to Baroda Ghat in Bagbera and saw that the rainwater had entered several households. River water level was growing continuously, said the officials.
The DC directed the officials to make sufficient arrangements for the fooding and lodging of affecged families. She then went to Kalyan Nagar and Indira Nagar localities of Bhuiyandih and appealed to people to be on alert and move to safer places in case of flash floods.
Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC), Mango Municipal Corporation and other government departments concerned alerted city residents about the rising water level in Kharkai and Swarnarekha rivers and asked them to go to shelter houses at the earliest.
According to the DC, seven sluice gates of Chandil dam had been opened so far. Kharkai and Swarnarekha were flowing 6.6 metres and 2 metres above the danger level respectively, she said.
Jamshedpur residents asked to move to shelter houses
Jamshedpur, Aug 20: District administration asked the residents of low-lying areas in Bagbera, Jugsalai, Kadma, Shastrinagar and Mango to move to higher and safer places due to fear of flash-floods. Several teams made announcements through mike regarding the flash flood threat looming over the low-lying areas. The people of Bhuiyandih and Bagunhatu were also alerted. Shelter houses have been set up across the city for affected people.
Road near Hotel Alcor and Ramada turns into river
Jamshedpur, Aug 20: Don’t be mistaken! This is not a river, but the picture of downtown Bistupur near posh Hotel Alcor and Ramada on Saturday. Flash flood hit many city parts after continuous rainstorm.
On the other hand, East Singhbhum recorded 320 mm rain in the ongoing month of August so far this year. It had recorded 113.4 mm rain on Saturday alone. In the last 10 days, the city has witnessed good rain which has encouraged the farmers.