City inundated, MeT says heavy rains for next 24 hrs
PANJIM, JUNE 26
Heavy showers and gusty winds lashed the State on Saturday, damaging property and disrupting essential services while also affecting normal life at many places. (local news)
The MeT department said the State had recorded 8 inches of rainfall in the last 24 hours, with Dabolim receiving the highest rainfall, followed by the capital city of Panjim.
Heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds, that started early morning on Saturday continued till night. The MeT department has said the situation will continue for next 24 hours.
Panjim’s low-lying areas were inundated with knee deep water troubling the traffic movement. The susceptible points like areas near Cine National, Campal, Miramar, 18th June road, city market, Kadamba bus stand, the area near Don Bosco High School and others places were flooded.
The underground parking in the city market was flooded, with motorists struggling to get their cars out of the parking lot.
As a result of the flood, traffic came to a standstill and office goers and school children were stuck at many places. Traffic snarls were reported from almost all parts of the capital. Commuters were stuck in massive jams especially near Campal and 18 June road.
Choked gutters blocked the water from clearing off. The Corporation of the City of Panaji miserably failed to clear the mess. The much publicised pre-monsoon work by the corporation spending lakhs of rupees seems to have made no difference for the city.
According to the MeT department, the seasonal rainfall recorded at various talukas on Saturday was Dabolim (10.2 inches), followed by Panjim (9.3 inches), Mormugao (9.3 inches), Margao (8.7 inches), Canacona (7.8 inches), Mapusa (7.0 inches), Sanguem (6.2 inches), Quepem (4.9 inches), Ponda (4.6 inches), Pernem (4.2 inches) and Valpoi (3 inches).
The seasonal rainfall recorded at various talukas so far has been Panjim (35 inches), followed by Mormugao (32.1 inches), Valpoi (31.5 inches), Pernem (29.5 inches), Margao (29.4 inches), Canacona (27 inches), Ponda (26.9 inches), Dabolim (26.8 inches), Mapusa (25.9 inches), Quepem (25.3 inches) and Sanguem (23.8 inches).
Meanwhile, the Panjim fire services remained on ready alert all day long on Saturday on account of the heavy rains accompanied by spells of intermittent winds that resulted in tree falling incidents at a few places in and around the city.
Officials said by evening the fire control office had received 31 emergency calls from all over the State. Most of the calls pertained to trees falling on houses and vehicles and rainwater entering houses.
The fire control office had to rush its personnel and vehicle with cutter equipment to Taleigao market after a tree reportedly fell on a parked car and bus. Another tree falling incident was reported from Dona Paula jetty.
The fire personnel had to rush to flood-prone Mala where water gushed into a house. A similar incident was reported from Caranzalem where water was cleared by using a pump.
A fire services vehicle had to be rushed near Bambolim Beach Resort where a coconut tree came crashing down on an electric wire cutting off the power supply in the surrounding area.
The officials said they had not come to a figure on the losses that occurred as a result of the heavy spells of rain.
