Heavy showers disrupt power supply in South Goa

Heavy showers disrupt power supply in South Goa
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MAY 22
Heavy showers accompanied by strong winds heralded pre-monsoon showers with a bang in Goa, disrupting power supply to many parts of South Goa for well over seven hours and uprooting trees and electric poles in Salcete and down South in the wee hours of Friday.
A tree came crashing down on a residential house at Tolleabandh-Margao early morning, causing damage to the house. The inmates, however, escaped unhurt.
Except Margao, most parts of South Goa including many parts of Salcete, Canacona had to go without power as lighting is believed to have damaged the Xeldem sub station. The situation was further compounded due to disruption in incoming power supply from Maharashtra and Karnataka, sources said.
In many places, power supply was restored only Friday evening as the power personnel were busy engaged to restore uprooted electric poles in many areas. Several electric poles in Chinchinim, Assolna, Cuncolim, besides Balli and other places were left uprooted by the strong winds.
The power personnel were literally kept on their toes till late Friday evening, as they hopped from villages to restore the power supply.
Reports of trees uprooted on the roads came in from Cavelossim, Malbhat and Aquem from the fire services. The roads were later cleared for traffic, sources said.
The heavy showers threw light on the preparedness of the local bodies in meeting the situation this monsoon.
Plastic and other waste was washed on the road at several places, while reports of water logging due to clogged drains poured in from many parts of Salcete.
Margao Municipal Chairperson Savio Coutinho took a round of the wards to get a first hand information of the situation, before deputing workers to clear the waste from the roads.