Fresh rain adds to Guwahati misery

GUWAHATI: Residents had only a few hours of respite from waterlogging before fresh spells of heavy rain early in the morning on Sunday inundated several low-lying localities in the heart of the city again.
Flood water from Bharalu river channel, which flows through the city and carries the storm water to the Brahmaputra, spilled over to several residential areas posing a health hazard.
Following unchanged waterlogging situation in various low-lying areas, including worst-affected Anil Nagar, Nabin Nagar and Hatigaon, the Kamrup (Metro) district administration on Sunday asked the educational institutions of both government and private sectors to reschedule their exams, if any.
District deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha, who is also the chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority, said, “They can reschedule the exams if any or can think of rescheduling exams only for those students whose homes are still under water.”
Guwahati Municipal Corporation commissioner Devasish Sharma said the civic body has continuously been clearing the drains by removing silt and garbage so that water can flow freely.
On the spilling of water from Bharalu due to cracks developed on the nearly 30-year-old guard walls of the river channel, Sharma said, “The cracks have developed due to excess pressure on Bharalu than its normal capacity to carry storm water. Excess rainfall in the past week and shutting down of the sluice gate of the channel at Bharalumukh after rise in the water level of the Brahmaputra have put a lot of pressure on the channel.”
Kamrup (Metro) received 32.5 mm rainfall from 8.30 am on Saturday to 8.30 am on Sunday, which is 173% excess than normal.