Torrential rain causes widespread flooding in state

NT NETWORK

 

PANAJI

Torrential rain lashed the state on Friday causing widespread inundations of roads and houses, uprooting of trees and landslides.

However, downpour did not cause any loss of life, although properties and standing crops suffered damages.

The nature’s fury began hitting the state from Thursday night, causing flooding at various places in the state capital.

The heavy rain threw the vehicular traffic out of gear on key arteries, affecting the normal life in Panaji.

On account of the incessant rain, Goa recorded its highest 24-hour July rainfall and received five times more than normal rains.

The state received 108mm of rainfall as against 26.2mm normal rains in the last 24 hours.

The met department in its four-day forecast said the state is “very likely” to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall  at a few places on July  7   July 8, and at isolated places on July 9 and  July 10.

Moreover, it has warned of ‘extremely heavy’ rainfall in South Goa in the next 24 hours due to excessive cloud development entering from Karwar.

The incessant rain led to tree uprooting, water-logging and inundations of houses in several parts of South Goa district.

Fields in low-lying areas were completely waterlogged, and traffic movement was hampered on several roads due to the rise in rainwater level.

The downpour made many residents in South Goa worry about their areas getting flooded. The people from Benaulim, Seraulim and Mungul, who have been insisting that the Western Bypass be built on stilts, were at the end of their tether.

The heavy rainfall that began on Thursday night continued through Friday afternoon, resulting in the fields along the Western Bypass alignment getting submerged.

Paroda in Quepem taluka was cut off from rest of the state after the village road was submerged by the rainwater.

Students bore the brunt of the rain as public transport was thrown out of gear.

The incessant rains accompanied by strong winds affected the normal

life in Curchorem and surrounding areas. Several roads were waterlogged leaving motorists stranded.

Trees came down crashing on roads disrupting vehicular traffic.

Ponda witnessed tree uprooting and land sliding. The taluka saw  rainwater inundating  roads and houses.

Borim bore the brunt of the nature’s fury as traffic snarls caused by a major waterlogging of the Ponda-Margao road disrupted the normal flow of vehicular traffic.

Mormugao taluka also witnessed waterlogging and uprooting of trees.

Some houses at Sasmollem-Baina and Sancoale were flooded by the rainwater.

The downpour pushed up water levels at the Anjune and Amthane dams in Bicholim taluka.

The rainfall recorded at Anjune in the last 12 hours was 158 mm and the water level increased up to 78.24 metres.

Valvanti river of Sankhali, and Bicholim river in Assnora started overflowing and crossed the danger mark owing .to the continuous torrential rain across Bicholim taluka.

This resulted in several households suffering heavy losses as water entered their dwellings.

In Pernem taluka a portion of the road leading to Patradevi washed away causing inconveniences to travellers.

Mapusa and the surrounding areas witnessed comparatively lesser rainfall and so no major flooding or waterlogging incident was reported.

However, continuous rain made river Par flow above the normal level,  resulting in water entering a few houses and sheds at Assonora early Friday morning.

Currently, the state has recorded 1273.7mm of rains till July 6, which is 14 per cent excess from the normal rainfall of 1119.9mm.

Under the weather department’s classification, 15.6mm to 64.4mm of rain is considered as ‘moderate’, 64.5mm to 115.5mm is ‘heavy’, 115.6 mm to 204.4mm is ‘very heavy’ and more than 204.5mm is considered as ‘extreme’.

Ponda received highest rainfall with 210 mm; Sanguem (200 mm); Ela (Old Goa) and Quepem received 190 mm each, Pernem; Panaji and  Dabolim witnessed 170 mm  each; Mormugao saw 140mm of rainfall; Mapusa, Sankhali and  Valpoi received 130mm each; Margao saw  9mm of downpour and Canacona received 6mm of rains.

On Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department had predicted heavy rainfall in parts of the state and issued a red alert for two days on Friday and Saturday.