Rain wreaks havoc in Jharkhand, Ranchi worst-hit
The IMD on Saturday evening issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Garhwa, Chatra, and Palamu, an orange alert for medium to heavy rainfall in Chatra, Latehar, Lohardaga, Dumka, and Simdega, and a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in isolated places in Ranchi, Koderma, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, and Khunti districts.
The Gomiya bridge in the Bermo sub-division collapsed, sweeping away several other small bridges across the state, and vast parts of Ranchi submerged underwater as torrential rains wreaked havoc in Jharkhand in the past 48 hours, officials close to the developments said on Saturday.
However, no casualty was reported from any part of the state till now, a disaster management official said.
Chief minister Hemant Soren ordered the closure of all government and private schools on Saturday after the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert in almost 22 districts late Friday night.
The IMD on Saturday evening issued a red alert for heavy rainfall in Garhwa, Chatra, and Palamu, an orange alert for medium to heavy rainfall in Chatra, Latehar, Lohardaga, Dumka, and Simdega, and a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in isolated places in Ranchi, Koderma, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, and Khunti districts.
In Ranchi, several low-lying areas are submerged under rainwater. Around 40 people had been rescued on Friday evening by NDRF personnel from Bandhgari locality under Sadar police station in Ranchi city.
A road diversion was washed away in Ranchi’s Mandar area.
Trees were also found uprooted at several places in the capital city on Saturday morning.
Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) issued toll-free numbers for city residents to register their complaints regarding waterlogging.
A portion of a bridge in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district collapsed due to heavy rains, an official said.
A portion of around 300-metre bridge constructed at Gomia block in Bokaro district in 2014, which connects Lalpania in Bokaro and Dumri in Giridih district collapsed.
“Around the 20-30 feet length portion of the bridge collapsed. A probe committee has been set up,” Bermo sub-divisional officer (SDO) Ashok Kumar said.
In Gumla, at least three road diversions were washed away in heavy rain.
A road diversion near Kandra village connecting Gumla and Lohardaga was washed away, while a road diversion in Chainpur block washed away affecting around 15,000 people from five villages, an official said.
Several houses were also damaged in many low-lying villages of the district.
In Ramgarh, the administration has sounded an alert in the famous pilgrimage site Rajrappa temple due to the rise in water level in the Damodar and Bhairvi rivers.
Devotees have been asked to avoid going to the exit gate along Damodar river, temple chief priest Ajay Panda said.
Ramgarh deputy commissioner Chandan Kumar has directed officials of all six blocks to keep a close eye on the situation and NDRF has been kept on standby for any situation.
In Dhanbad, several localities such as Grewal Colony near Bekarbandh, Nawadih Nandan Residency in Bhuli, Mangal Vihar Colony in Dhaiyya, Shivliwari Colony in Maithon have been submerged due to heavy rains.
Dhanbad Municipal Commissioner Raviraj Sharma said that Quick Response Teams (QRT) have been pressed in at different locations to clear the waterlogging.
The Dhendhe Ghat bridge connecting Lalpaniya and Dumri Bihar stations under the Bermo sub-division in Gomiya collapsed after gushing waters swept away a pillar in the early hours of Saturday. Local villagers said that the bridge was built in 2014. The diversion near Maltoti Bridge over the Murgu River on NH-75 under Ratu police station (PS) in Ranchi was also swept away, leaving the Ranchi-Daltonganj road blocked.
In Ramgarh, the Damodar River was flowing over the bridge in Ramgarh town on Saturday. The revered Maa Chhinamastika Temple in Ramgarh was also in a critical state with both the Damodar and Bhairavi rivers swelling around the temple. The heart of Patratu Bhagat Singh Chowk is also submerged, officials said.
Meanwhile, the East Singhbhum district administration has issued an alert asking people not to venture near Kharkai and Subarnarekha rivers in the wake of both rivers approaching danger levels. As per the alert notice, the Subarnarekha River was flowing at 116.56 meters in Mango, where the danger level was 121.50 meters. Similarly, the Kharkai River was flowing at 126.81 meters against its danger level of 129.00 meters at the Adityapur Bridge area.
With agency inputs