Downpour lashes Bicholim taluka 

BICHOLIM/SANKHALI : Torrential rain accompanied by gusty winds pounded Bicholim taluka on Sunday affecting normal life. 

Trees uprooted and crashed on houses at Shirigaon and Kudchirem, causing losses over Rs 1 lakh. Sources said that firefighters saved properties worth more than Rs 2 lakh, adding that a tree crashed on the road at Bordem-Vhalshi throwing vehicular traffic out of gear.

Two coconut trees crashed on the house and the kiosk of Mukund Naru Gaonkar at Kudchirem-Bicholim causing a loss of more than Rs 50,000.

Gaonkar sustained injuries in the incident, and has been hospitalised.

A coconut tree came crashing down on the house of Tukaram Gaonkar at Shirigaon causing a loss of about Rs 25,000.

The house of Hanumant Gaonkar of Shirigaon was damaged after a tree uprooted and fell on it.

Firefighters cleared all the uprooted trees.

The downpour affected farming activities in the taluka.

The water level of Anjunem dam has crossed 91-meter mark on account of the heavy rainfall. The dam water is being released through two gates.

Bicholim mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit directed the disaster management team to be on its guard.