ROURKELA: Intermittent heavy rainfall for the past three days disrupted normal life in parts of Sundargarh district, leaving rural road infrastructure damaged and waterlogged in several low-lying pockets.
According to reports, gushing rainwater triggered collapse of the culvert on Ekma-Padampur road in Bargaon block in the wee hours of Wednesday. Following the incident, deputy speaker and Talsara MLA BS Bhoi rushed to spot to take stock of the situation. As road communication to different villages of Ekma gram panchayat (GP) remained cut off, the MLA asked the authorities concerned to take immediate corrective measures to restore normalcy.
Similarly, the low-height bridge over Adadihi nullah on Sarasara Balang-Tikayatpali road in Bonai block was submerged in floodwater, disrupting communication to Adadihi, Nuadihi, Kareiput, Tileimal, Katei and other villages for several hours. Due to heavy rainfall, unpaved roads at Birda, Tainsor, Jarakudar, Buchahanda and Gopadihi villages in Lathikata block turned from bad to worse and developed deep craters at many places.
Heavy rain also created a deep crater on the side of Tangarmunda road in Sadar block, leaving villagers of Tangarmunda, Patrapali, Lemlema, Khungaon, Patkijor, Akeikera and Kupatangar to use the damaged stretch in risky condition. Reports were also received about several mud houses getting fully or partially damaged due to heavy rain.
Besides, residents of the low-lying pockets of wards 3 and 18 in Rajgangpur municipality faced untold miseries due to long hours of waterlogging on Wednesday. Affected residents disrupted vehicular traffic on state highway-10 near the weekly market of Rajgangpur demanding permanent measures for effective drainage of storm water.
District emergency officer of Sundargarh Kamalakshmi Marandi said reports have been received about 23 houses getting fully or partially damaged due to rain-related incidents. So far, no deaths have been reported from the district. She said adequate stocks of tarpaulin sheets have been made available at respective block offices and the administration is fully prepared to respond to any emergency situation.
Incidentally, the district received excess average rainfall of 386.59 mm over the past 22 days against July’s normal rainfall of 352.2 mm. So far, Gurundia, Bargaon and Bonai blocks have received a whopping 507 mm to 594 mm rain.
Meanwhile, commissioner of Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) Deenah Dastageer on Wednesday also held separate meetings to effectively fight monsoon-related issues. She said officials failing to address complaint of waterlogging immediately would face action.