PONDA/BICHOLIM: The fire service personnel on Tuesday rescued 19 people including a child at Khursakade, Usgao, as heavy rains continued to lash the village, leaving several areas in Ponda taluka submerged. Ten people from Bagwada, Pilgao in Bicholim, who were stranded due to heavy rains, were rescued late Monday night by the fire personnel.
The Opa Khandepar River was reported to be overflowing dangerously as roads in low-lying areas and 24 houses on the river bank were flooded at Khursakade.
The overflowing Ragada River at Sancorda and Ganjem River at Usgao caused traffic blockade in these areas as roads were submerged.
After inspecting houses at Khursakade-Usgao that were flooded, Ponda MLA Ravi Naik said the disaster management team should construct shelters in the hilly area along the riverside on comunidade land to provide relief to the affected people.
Ponda fire official Sushil Morajkar said that his team, which rescued 19 people, is guarding the area and many people have been shifted to safer places.
The flooding of rivers paralysed the normal life causing hardship to the locals as they were forced to remain indoors. To add to their woes, the commuters found it difficult to travel as the roads were flooded.
The traffic at Opa and Khandepar junctions was disrupted on account of the flooding in the areas.
The Baga-Khandepar road, a mutt and a house at Murdi-Khandepar were submerged.
The locals at Khursakade-Usgao said this is first time in many years they have witnessed flooding in the area. They recalled that earlier a similar flood-like situation occurred in 1982 when river water overflowed.
The people including officials are monitoring the flood-like situation.
Several others took to social media posting photos, selfies and videos of overflowing Khandepar River.
Mhadei River at Usgao Ganjem was overflowing due to which the surrounding area and some houses were flooded.
The water was flowing over Sancorda Bridge due to overflowing Ragada River, which causing flooding in Bolkarne-Sacordem.
Meanwhile, around three families from Bagwada, Pilgao in Bicholim, who were stranded due to heavy rains, were rescued late Monday night by the fire personnel under the supervision of the Bicholim mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit.
According to sources, the mamlatdar officials received information at around 10 pm that some families were stranded and had lost contact due to heavy rains.
Pandit went to the site and directed the fire personnel to take immediate measures to rescue the family members.
The fire personnel with the help of a boat rescued 10 family members. It is learnt that the families would be shifted to a nearby house at Pilgao for next two days till the water recedes.
