Power cut in Panjim
PANJIM: In Panjim, there was a power cut from 2.55 am onwards. However, the Electricity Department officials revealed that attempts were made to restore electricity at many places since 3.30 am onwards but the trees, which got uprooted at many places, snapped the overhead lines.
While in some parts of the State, power was restored in the morning, whereas in other parts the same was restored in the evening.
“Due to showers and strong winds, tree branches fell on the overhead lines, causing disruption in power supply across the State. Conductors too snapped and due to the lightning, a jumper at Ponda sub-station opened and the insulation failed,” informed Chief Electrical Engineer (CEC) Neelkanth Reddy.
“Power was restored at some places in the morning, while some areas had to go without power supply till evening as the same was later restored by our staff. The pre-monsoon showers and the gusty winds caused a lot of damage as in some places, the transformers tripped causing disruption in power supply,” he added.
Meanwhile, normal life was thrown out of gear on account of the soaring mercury and power failures, with consumers complaining of disruption in electricity supply.
“We understand that it is pre-monsoon work, but at the same time, the department needs to be a little sensitive. With the rising temperatures, they should be aware of how difficult it is to live without ventilation even for a minute,” complained Niraj Verluskar, a resident of Taleigao.
Thunderstorm wrecks havoc in Salcete
Team Herald
MARGAO: Gusty winds and thunderstorm wreaked havoc in villages and towns of Salcete.
The Margao Fire Station received over 50 calls till morning and has been receiving calls till Thursday evening. Fire fighters were clearing tree which fell across Salcete till Thursday evening.
Chandor, Benaulim, Curtorim, Chinchinim and several other areas or Salcete were battered by the pre-monsoon showers and high-velocity winds.
In Fatorda, the large gantry on the entrance of the town near KTC came down crashing midnight after it was pounded by gusty winds.
A mango tree fell on a house at Cuncolim causing extensive damage to the structure. The occupants of the house complained that they had intimated the authorities that the tree was posed danger to their house and it was also ordered that the tree be cut.
However, the authorities failed to remove the tree causing loss to the owner of the house.
A coconut tree fell on a house at Sirvodem causing loss to the owner.
Strong winds uproot
trees in Mormugao
A tree collapse incident was reported in Cansaulim.
Billboards and hoardings were damaged at Vasco.
VASCO Cyclonic rain and strong winds that lashed the State early morning on Thursday brought trees crashing down at different locations in Mormugao taluka. Besides, power supply was also disrupted across the taluka for over three hours.
In Cansaulim village, a huge mango tree fell on six vehicles, including two cars and four two-wheelers that were parked below.
Speaking to reporters Leo Reo, whose vehicles and house partially got damaged said his family had requested the neighbour to cut down the mango tree, but their requests remained unheard.
Officials at Verna fire station informed that they had attended four calls of tree collapse incidents on Thursday.
A mango tree also crashed on the road in Consua, disrupting traffic movement. Similar incident of tree collapse were also reported at Verna and Loutolim.
The Vasco fire station too attended seven calls, of which four calls were of tree collapse incidents, reported at Vaddem, Velsao, Chicalim and Vasco.
Strong wind also brought down a signboard erected on the NH17 B road, near Birla junction in Verna, which disrupted traffic for over two hours.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
Thunder storm batters Canacona
CANACONA: Normal life was disrupted as thunder storm battered Canacona and adjoining areas.
The entire taluka saw unseasonal rain with thunderstorm and high velocity winds on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday which uprooted many trees at various places in Canacona resulting in disruption of essential services and affecting normal life.
Sources at fire station office in Canacona said they received as many as fourteen emergency calls of trees getting uprooted and falling on roads, houses and electrical alignments at various places in Canacona taluka.
The most-affected area was Bhatpal, where at least seven trees were uprooted and fell on either roads or residential houses causing road blocks and losses to house owners.
The gusty winds together with heavy rains left most part of the taluka in darkness and telephone connectivity too was disrupted. Motorists had tough time on the NH66 at Karmalghat as the loose soil excavated and left on the middle of the road by cable-laying companies formed slurry, which motorists, especially two-wheeler riders found difficult to negotiate.
2 injured in Ponda
A house was damaged in Ponda.
PONDA: Cyclonic winds accompanied by heavy rains was witnessed all across Ponda taluka at 2 am on Thursday, causing major damages to houses across Marcel, Shiroda, Borim, as various types of tree collapsed on houses and roads.
Some people were reported to be injured after material of collapsed houses fell on them. In Marcel, as many as 40 roadside electric poles were uprooted.
Cases of trees collapsing on houses were reported at Borim, Talule Bandora, Shiroda and Bethora.
At least eight houses were damaged across Ponda taluka. Reports of tiles falling on occupants were also reported. A ten-year-old boy Harsh Naik at Tivrem was injured as roof tiles collapsed on him. A woman from Marcel too suffered the same fate.
At Gawalwada Nirankal, a huge tree collapsed on road blocking traffic for hours.
The entire region was plunged into darkness, but electricity personnel restored electricity in the morning.
In Ponda around 21 calls of trees falling on houses, roads, compound etc were received, while a dozen calls were received from Marcel area.
Fire personnel from Ponda and Kundaim rushed to various sites and cleared the trees collapsed on houses, roads, compounds and also on Primary School building at Dhavlim.
Meanwhile, PWD Minister Sudin Davlikar said the government had taken note of cyclonic wind all across Goa and has asked the Deputy Collector office to conduct a survey.
He said even the electrical system at 140 MLD OPA plant as well as at 50 MLD Plant at Assonora have collapsed and officials were trying to recover it.
Car damaged in Honda
A mango tree which fell on the car at Honda.
VALPOI: Gusty winds and heavy rains in Valpoi taluka on Thursday morning at around 2.30 am caused trees to fall, besides causing damage to houses and vehicles.
A mango tree fell on a car at a local garage at Honda village.
Various other complains of trees falling were also reported.
Cases of tree falling
reported in Bicholim
BICHOLIM: Heavy rains accompanied by cyclonic winds in the wee hours of Thursday morning in Bicholim taluka caused heavy loss to villagers, including farmers.
Rain and cyclonic winds hit Bicholim at around 3 am and subsequently there was no power supply in some areas of Bicholim town, Karapur village and many areas in Mayem constituency, Mulgao, Kasarpal, Nanora and surrounding areas.
According to information, firemen of Bicholim fire station attended about 35 calls relating to tree felling.
At Mulgao and Bordem cars were damaged as trees fell on the vehicles. About five cars were also damaged in a garage at Mulgao. Shivnath Gayak from Virdi suffered losses after his house was damaged.
The sheets of Bicholim market complex roof were also blown away.
Power failure in Cuncolim
A tree fell on a car at Cuncolim.
CUNCOLIM: Sudden power failure at midnight on Wednesday forced Cuncolkars to remain in dark and forced people to stay awake outside in the summer heat.
However, midnight rain helped to keep environment cool.
After the thunder and lightning at midnight there was no electricity for a long time. Due to power failure businessmen suffered heavy losses. Bakeries and ice cream parlours suffered heavy loss due to the 14-hour power failure.
Cuncolim experienced heavy rain, thunder and lightning during the whole night. Incidents of trees being uprooted were reported at Cuncolim, Panzorconi, Balli, Sanvorcoto, Murida, Demani and other parts.
A huge tree fall on the house at Paroda damaging the part of the house, fortunately nobody was hurt.
At Murida, Adiband due to gusty wind the roof of the club house collapsed. Some more incidents of damage of houses were reported in Cuncolim.
This is second time in just three days major power failure in Cuncolim. Cuncolkars have demanded urgent replacement of age old transformers and replacement of main cable.
Heavy rain, thunder and lightning shatter Bardez
MAPUSA: The sudden heavy rain accompanied by thunder, lightning and strong winds which lashed Bardez left the taluka and nearby areas damaged on Wednesday night. Around 29 cases of uprooting of trees were booked by the Mapusa fire station. However, the fire team managed to clear 22 cases by end of the day and fire force teams were on their toes to clear the remaining ones.
Meanwhile few calls were cleared off by the locals themselves. Sources from fire station said they received 29 calls of trees being uprooted due to strong winds from different parts of Bardez. They said the winds damaged houses, compound walls, blocked MDR as well as internal roads, damaged electricity poles and wires, and vehicles, etc.
The calls were received from Siolim, Thivim, Banda, Assagao, Canca and Porvorim. However, the loss is yet to be estimated since clearing of calls was under progress till late night.
Sources also said that around 10 houses were damaged due to uprooting of trees. Fortunately no casualties were reported.
