PATNA: Heavy and incessant rain for the last three days has wreaked havoc in Bihar with roads in almost all cities including Patna inundated in knee-deep water on Saturday.
Alarmed at the heavy rainfall and meteorological predictions for further downpours of over 12 to 20 cm in the next 24 to 48 hours, the state government has declared a red alert for 24 districts of the state including Patna from Friday night.
All important meetings of officials, including a meeting of the chief secretary scheduled on Saturday, have been cancelled with immediate effect. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called a high-level meeting of officials on the issue.
Meanwhile, the road connectivity between Gaya and Nawada was snapped due to waterlogging and residents in many districts including Motihari have taken shelter in high-rise areas.
All government and private schools and colleges have been closed till further orders in view of the heavy rainfall predicted. The state disaster department has issued an advisory to people not to venture out of their homes due to heavy rainfall feared in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Sources said rainwater has entered the residences of many ministers and officials too in Patna. Power supply has also been affected.
Train services in different sections of the East Central Railway (ECR) have been affected badly due to the rain lashing the state.
At many places, the movement of trains has been affected or cancelled for safety reasons after damage was reported in various sections.
Chief spokesperson of the ECR Rajesh Kumar said train services were suspended between Kishanpur and Rambhadrapur on the Samastipur-Darbhanga section due to slippage in embankment soil reported from near bridge no.12 early on Saturday.
"Train services similarly have been affected on both up and down lines of Dilwa-Nathnagar sections under Dhanbad division of zone in Jharkhand on account of heavy rain. Eight trains on down lines and three on up lines on this section have been affected," Kumar said, adding that reports of disruption from Karpoori gram under Sonepur division were also received early on Saturday morning.
In the Darbhanga-Samastipur section, prominent trains affected include the Sealdah-Jayanagar Gangasagar Express, Darbhanga-Ahmedabad Sabarmati Express and Amritsar-Darbhanga Jannayak Express.
Kumar said that the zone is keeping a strict vigil and work is being carried to ease the plight of passengers.