ROURKELA: Heavy rain over the last few days has hit normal life in Sundargarh district with low lying areas of Sundargarh town and Rourkela city witnessing flood-like situation on Friday and Saturday.
Since Thursday, rain has been lashing Sundargarh town and the downpour intensified on Friday morning. Low-lying areas remained submerged with rain water till Saturday morning.
Sundargarh Municipality Councillor HS Sarangi said the problem aggravated as the Ib river was overflowing. The town’s drain water flows into the river through the main drain. The tail end of the main drain of the town had narrowed down due to encroachments as a result of which, rain water could not be discharged into the already swelling river. Wards 1,2,3,4 and 7 were badly affected, while Revenue Colony of Ward 5 was also hit. He said the Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital also faced water-logging.
“Rain water gushed into our house and it could not be drained out for at least eight hours,” said a resident Zafar Ali. Sundargarh Municipality Chairman Benudhar Tandia said an excavation machine was used at Masjidpara area to drain out water, while fire brigade personnel pumped out water from various pockets. He said waterlogging was witnessed at Regent Market area, Bhitiriapara, Niranjan Nagar, Srikrishna Bihar, Ranibagicha, Mahadevpara and other areas and rain water entered around 150 houses. On Saturday, cooked food was provided to 500 affected persons at five relief camps in the town. In the morning, the Ib river submerged low-lying areas of Ranibagicha and Mahadevpara, but water receded by evening.
At the low-lying Balughat area of Rourkela city along river Brahmani, waterlogging was witnessed for a few hours on Saturday morning. Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) Commissioner DP Mohapatra said water entered Balughat area through the embankment of river Brahmani and submerged 17 houses. He added the situation improved as the flood water receded. On Friday, water had entered Gopabandhupali slum as a result of which a thatched house collapsed.
Rourkela has been witnessing heavy downpour for the last one week.
Children drown
Two children drowned in a ditch while playing in an agricultural field in Sundargarh district on Saturday morning. The children are 18-month-old Tulsa Kisan and three-year-old Maheswar Toppo, both belonging to Bhalumunda hamlet in Timna village under Bargaon police limits of the district.