Eight killed in rain-related incidents across Jharkhand

IMD’s Ranchi Meteorological Centre forecasted heavy rain in seven Jharkhand districts, including Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega, Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, and Latehar districts. Weathermen also did not rule out the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning in isolated areas and predicted heavy rain in several districts on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Eight people were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy downpours wreaked havoc across Jharkhand in the past 24 hours, with the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicting similar conditions in several parts of the state over the next few days, officials close to the matter said.

Eight people were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy downpours wreaked havoc across Jharkhand in the past 24 hours. (PTI)

On Sunday, a 28-year-old man, identified as Deo Prasad Ram, a resident of Hatma under Gonda police station in Ranchi, was washed away in a swelling drain in Saraitand while returning to his home. His body was recovered on Monday morning, around 2 km away in Jojo Pahar in Misir Gonda, officials said.

The officer-in-charge of Gonda police station, Ravi Thakur, said the man was working at Atal Vendor Market, and he slipped while returning to his home.

“The man is survived by three children and a wife,” Thakur said.

Prasad’s brother, Vinod Ram, alleged that after his brother slipped into the drain, it took the police an hour to decide on the jurisdiction to initiate proper action as the place is at the trijunction of Gonda, Bariatu, and Lalpur police stations.

A resident familiar with the incident said that after Deo fell into the drain, he somehow managed to hold onto a rod, and people threw a rope to rescue him, but Deo could not hold the rope and was washed away.

Following the incident, Ranchi Municipal Corporation commissioner Ameet Kumar said he has directed to cover all drains across the city.

“The man had fallen near a culvert and washed away in the drain. Keeping this incident in mind, I have directed to expedite the work of covering drains with slabs across the city, though I had already directed officials to start the work anticipating such an incident in mind,” he said.

In another incident, a four-year-old girl, identified as Saina Parveen, died in Bokaro after a mud wall collapsed and fell on her.

A resident familiar with the incident said that the girl was playing when she came under the wall.

In Naudiha, Palamau, two children below 12 years old died after they drowned in a pond while bathing.

“They went to collect mushrooms during the rain and planned to take a bath during their return,” a resident familiar with the incident said.

In Jamtara, a woman and three children died due to lightning striking them during the rain on Sunday.

Meanwhile, traffic was diverted on NH-75 as a diversion of a bridge under construction on the road at Ratu washed away, disrupting movement on the Ranchi-Daltonganj route.

President of the Federation of Jharkhand Chambers of Commerce and Industries and a bus operator, Kishore Mantri, informed this, saying road transport remained badly affected due to rain.

A resident of Ramgarh said a famous tourist destination, Rajrappa temple, became inaccessible from the Gola side as the Bhairvi River beside the temple swelled, and the Chilka bridge that connects Gola with the temple has partially submerged.

An official of the water resource department said the water level in dams rose to a danger level, causing officials of the water resource department to release water from the dams.

“In Chandil Dam, the water level rose to a height of 181.75 meters, after which six of the 13 gates were opened for the release of 698 cusec water. Similarly, in Tenughat, two gates were opened to release water from the dam. In Maithon Dam and Panchet Dam, there is the same situation,” the official said.

Waterlogging on roads, frequent power cuts and roof leakage remained common problems, the official added.

IMD’s Ranchi Meteorological Centre forecasted heavy rain in seven Jharkhand districts, including Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega, Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, and Latehar districts. Weathermen also did not rule out the possibility of thunderstorms and lightning in isolated areas and predicted heavy rain in several districts on Tuesday and Wednesday.