DHENKANAL: Traffic on NH-55 was severely disrupted in Angul and Dhenkanal districts after stretches of the highway were inundated due to torrential rains on Thursday.
Vehicular movement, which came to a standstill at around 3 am due to flooding, resumed at around 11 am on the day after the rainwater receded. Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of the highway for nearly eight hours, causing hardship to commuters and truck drivers.
“We were stranded on the highway overnight after rainwater submerged NH-55 at Kharakprasad. Hundreds of vehicles were stuck until the water level came down this morning,” said a truck driver returning to Cuttack after unloading coal.
More than 200 mm of rainfall was recorded in parts of Angul and Dhenkanal districts overnight, inundating several low-lying stretches of NH-55, particularly in Motanga police station area. Sources said rainwater inundated several stretches of the highway at Chintapokhari, Haldiabahal, Kharakprasad, BRG chowk and Meramandali.
On the Angul side of NH-55, a 200-metre stretch near Badakera chowk was also submerged, where a bus was stranded after attempting to negotiate the waterlogged road.