Margao: Incessant rains lashed Salcete on Thursday resulting in several trees to uproot and fall on roads, power lines and houses.

Coconut trees and branches of huge trees came crashing down on roads at Raia, Loutolim and Nuvem.

However, locals cleared the roads instead of waiting for the fire and emergency services. There were no causalities reported in the incidents.  The Comba subway was also flooded, but the water receded later.

The incessant rain raised the river level at Paroda forcing it to flow over the bridge.

Normal life was thrown out of gear after heavy overnight rains cut Paroda from the rest of the state, roads were totally submerged under water.

Public transport was affected as water levels rose due to incessant rainfall during the last 24 hours. Villagers said that students were the worst affected due to rise in the water levels. No loss of property has been reported so far.

Supplies to the village were cut off while the ongoing traffic had to be diverted via Chandor even as the district administration kept a close watch on the situation.

Villagers informed that this is an annual problem faced by villagers as politicians have only made assurances but failed to act.

“This is an annual problem that the people have to face. Governments have changed so have representatives but they can’t find a solution to the flooding” said a villager.

Ironically a proposal for improvement of road connecting Paroda and Quepem which had proposed four culverts, a large pipe along with the widening of a road at a cost of Rs 14 crore was proposed under the Bharat Mala project.

Sources informed that the improvement would have prevented the occurrence of floods as the culverts which were built during the Portuguese era have not been maintained.

Meanwhile two houses were partially damaged after trees collapsed as heavy rains continue to create havoc in Salcete during the last 24 hours.

The fire department was kept on their toes as Navelim alone reported 8 calls of trees being uprooted. Two houses were damaged with an estimated loss of Rs 7,000.

Reports of trees getting uprooted were also reported from Chinchinim, Assolna, Margao, Fatorda and Colva. Reports of waterlogging also came in from many pockets of Salcete.

The Margao railway subway remained cut off for vehicular traffic after it got completely submerged in water. The national highway at Navelim was partially submerged due to heavy rains.