PANJIM: The unseasonal showers that drenched the State on Saturday morning brought a huge relief from the blistering summer heat that Goa was enduring from April 16. The heavy showers accompanied by thunderstorm, alightning and gusty winds hit both north and south Goa, however caused some damage. In some parts of the State, the showers were scanty and lasted till afternoon. The rains lashed the state between 10.30 am and 12.30 pm. No injuries or loss of human or animal life was reported from any part of the State. Weekend tourists were caught unawares in various parts of the State.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the next two days, cautioning about the possibility of heavy rains and adverse weather conditions. In light of the alert, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea during this period to ensure their safety. A massive raincloud has been spotted hovering over Goa, as well as parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka, indicating widespread rainfall in the region.
In Panjim, the heavy showaers disrupted the Smart City works and left them in complete disarray. As per the High Court deadline the Smart City officials are pushing hard to complete the works by May 31. The heavy showers pushed mud from Smart City works into the gutters and flooded critical roads of the city, bringing traffic in parts of the city to a standstill. The half complete drainage system done by Smart City works was rendered completely useless.
The heavy showers caused flooding at the Goa Medical College Hospital, at Bambolim. The corridors of the Orthopaedic department and the canteen were flooded causing tremendous hardships to the patients.
Normal life thrown out of gear in Calangute-Candolim
CALANGUTE: Heavy rains and strong winds along with thunder showers threw life out of gear in Calangute-Candolim tourist belt. The surrounding villages of Saligao, Parra, Nerul and Pilerne also witnessed heavy rains.
The weekend crowds of tourists as well as locals were seen stranded due to the unexpected spell of heavy rain which lasted for around two hours. Electricity was also disrupted for around two hours from 10.30 am to 12.30pm.
However, no casualties or injuries were reported. Pilerne Fire Station officials said they received three calls of trees falling. At Umtawaddo, Calangute, a mango tree collapsed on a house damaging the roof tiles. At Orda, Candolim, a tree branch came crashing down on a parked two-wheeler. In the third incident at Saipem, Candolim, a gulhomur tree came crashing down. The stormy weather also brought down numerous small branches, palm leaves and trees, littering the roads with debris, rubble and mud.
Farmers also reported that their vegetable crop was badly damaged due to the sudden heavy rain and winds.
Rain brings pain to Salcete farmers
MARGAO: Trees were uprooted and standing crops were destroy in different places in Salcete Saturday morning, due to the heavy rains. Besides, some of the streets of the commercial capital Margao were flooded, due to the unseasonal rainfall accompanied by thunder. Margao was overcast in the morning and the showers lasted till afternoon.
According to Margao Station Fire Officer (SFO) Gil Souza, the Ambaji to Arlem road was strewn with garbage that washed on it due to the sudden rains making it difficult for vehicles particularly two-wheelers to move on it.
A team of fire fighters led by leading fire fighter S R Naik, with one fire tender cleared the waste from the road in one hour, thus freeing it for vehicular movement.
In another incident, a coconut tree fell on the compound wall and also the adjacent road near the District Court, Margao. In an operation lasting one and a half hour, fire fighters led by leading fire fighter R B Satarkar with one fire tender cut the coconut tree and cleared the road.
Besides, fire fighters also cleared the oil spill on the road at Davorlim junction in an operation that lasted nearly one hour.
Vegetable crops at Nuvem and Davorlim were damaged as water accumulated in the fields.
Partial flooding in Sanguem town
SANGUEM: Heavy showers accompanied by thunder storms at some places brought relief to people from Sanguem taluka who were suffering under the sweltering heat wave for the last few days, with some senior citizens being confined to their homes.
Though most people were relieved, quite a number of people were upset as they had to face the brunt of the rains since they had opened their roofs as part of pre-monsoon cleaning the Mangalore tiles.
The rain lasted practically the whole morning and it was only in the afternoon that there was some respite.
Sanguem town faced partial flooding since the drains which were not cleaned were overflowing and there was water everywhere.
Canconcars welcome showers
CANACONA: People from Canacona also heaved a sigh of relief due to the unseasonal rains that lashed the taluka on Saturday. People said it brough welcome relief from the heat wave that engulfed Goa for the last few days. The rains lasted for about an hour in the taluka.
While generally it is common to see people in this rural taluka, especially the children enjoying the unseasonal rains with gay abandon, today there was only relief visible on their faces, as the heat was becoming unbearable.
The rains however disrupted the work of the people of erecting temporary huts close to their houses, ahead of the monsoons.
power outages in vasco
VASCO: Heavy rains in the port town brought respite for the people from scorching heat. However, no incident of flooding and water-logging was reported. Also an incident of tree falling near Shafi Masjid at Baina and garbage flowing on road at New Vaddem, Vasco resulted in a two-wheeler skidding on the road.
The unseasonal rains caused power outages for few hours in Vasco.
