CUTTACK: A car driver and its two occupants had a close shave after a welcome arch of the Athagarh Notified Area Council (NAC) collapsed on the vehicle in the impact of the nor’wester rains that wreaked havoc in the western part of Cuttack district on Monday.
As per sources, the nor’wester rains along with strong winds, thunderstorm and hailstorm struck Athagarh at around 5 pm. Several trees and electric poles got uprooted in the impact of the rains and thunderstorm, bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill and disrupting power supply in several localities.
The car was en route to Cuttack from Athagarh when one of the four welcome arches installed at the entrance points of Athagarh NAC on old Cuttack-Sambalpur road, collapsed under the influence of strong winds, trapping the vehicle underneath.
However, the driver and two others seated inside escaped unscathed as the welcome arch remained suspended with the support of an uprooted electric pole and a broken branch of a roadside tree, reducing the impact of the fall. Vehicular traffic on the road remained disrupted for over an hour till authorities of Athagarh NAC removed the collapsed welcome arch.
In another incident, patients at the Athagarh sub-divisional hospital had a narrow escape after a portion of the boundary wall caved in under the impact of the rain. Another asbestos structure present nearby too collapsed. However, no one was present under it.