PARADIP:Pounding rains brought life to a standstill in Jagatsinghpur as Paradip bore the brunt of a depression which induced a massive 412 mm rain within a span of 24 hours on Wednesday.
The showers - 30 per cent of the rainfall recorded in a year - submerged every road and low lying area in the Port town. Encroachments on natural drainage systems ensured that rain water enter government offices, slums, and schools.
Water gushed into homes at Brundaban Colony, Nua Bazaar, Madhuban Colony, Bhuiyan Colony, Bhanj Colony, Loknath Colony, Mundapada and Trinath Colony. Badapadia bus stand was under knee-deep water. There was a flash flood like situation in the town which saw acute waterlogging while vehicles were stranded. Similar was the situation at Biju Minar, Smruti Udyan, Ambedkar Park and Bethani School which were inundated.
Slum dwellers and residents of low-lying areas spent sleepless nights as their houses were filled with three to four feet water.In Kujang block, several villages under Paradeepgarh were inundated. Irate villages locked the panchayat office on Thursday demanding relief materials and pumping out of water from their villages. Kujang Bazaar, too, was severely waterlogged and rain water entered Kujang police station. Four villages of Paradeepgarh panchayat had been waterlogged and 30,000 hectares of paddy crops damaged in Kujang, Erasama and Balikuda areas.
Paradip ADM Kanhu Charan Dhir informed that free kitchens have been opened and dry and cooked food is being provided to 1,500 affected families of low lying areas in the Port Town, who have been shifted to local cyclone shelters. PPT officials also evacuated 250 labourers from the Tarinigada catchment areas and provided them shelter in the PPT Trade Centre building by deploying transportation facilities. Around 6.5 tonnes of flattened rice, biscuits, bottled water, molasses and sugar were distributed among the affected people in the Port Township as well as in the adjacent areas. PPT Hospital doctors are on the vigil to provide first aid to the public.
Port works hit for 2nd day
The incessant rains also affected loading and unloading of cargo from seven ships in Paradip Port. Hatches of the vessels could not be opened due to heavy downpour, said Chairman of Paradip Port Trust, Rinkesh Roy. The entire port was under three feet water while three weighbridges were waterlogged as a result of which 300 trucks were unable to unload cargo. Personnel of traffic wing of Paradip Port Trust were deployed to vacate the stranded trucks from the weighbridges. Ship movement to and from the port was partially hit and 10 ships were waiting at the anchorage area for berths. No ships could either be taken in or taken out due to the unfavourable weather condition.