Heavy downpour batters Tricity; flood-like conditions in several areas

Moderate to heavy downpour on Sunday morning once again battered normal life with most parts of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula witnessing flood-like situation.

The rainfall, which turned intense between 9.30 am and 11.30 am, continued intermittently for the rest of the day and evening till the reports last came in.

Several road stretches suffered major damage as their condition turned bad to worse with the potholes becoming wide and deep, posing danger to the commuters.

The situation was reported grim along the Ghaggar river, which was in spate across Panchkula and Dera Bassi villages, besides the areas along the Sukhna Choe, following the continuous discharge of water from Sukhna Lake, as and when it crossed the danger mark. While certain parts of Morni remained cut off due to landslides and washed away roads, Zirakpur, Mohali, Kharar and Chandigarh witnessed massive traffic snarls at major roads and busy junctions with the rainwater turning most of the areas into virtual water pools.

Reports of trees and poles falling on vehicles causing damage to public property and disruption in power and water supplies were also received from different parts of Tricity. While damage to roofs and other structures of some kutcha houses was also reported, no loss to life was reported.

The apathy on the part of Municipal Corporation officials in Chandigarh, Mohali, Zirakpur, Dera Bassi, Kharar and Panchkula was evident as residents were left in the lurch, forcing them to fend for themselves in the absence of proper drainage system and adequate road network.

Even as the administrations of all three cities were quick enough to sound alerts, advising the residents to exercise restraint by staying away from the areas close to the swollen waterbodies, people complained that not enough was being done by the official machinery to provide relief and rescue the needy.

Chandigarh recorded 41.3 mm rainfall, followed by 32 mm in Mohali and 19 mm downpour logged in Panchkula during the last 24 hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today issued orange and yellow alerts predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

It said a spell of widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places is very likely over Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana during the next 36-48 hours.

“Light to moderate rainfall is very likely at most places on September 1; at many places on September 2; and at few to isolated places thereafter in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana,” the weathermen predicted, while warning of heavy to very heavy rain at few places likely till September 2 over Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana.

Third heaviest rain in 13 years

Chandigarh recorded the third heaviest rainfall during the month of August in the last 13 years, the IMD has said.

Mercury dips in day, rises in night

Following the intense rain, the mercury dipped considerably upto 5.6 notches during the day on Sunday while it soared upto 2.2°C on Saturday night.

The day temperature settled at 28.1 across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, which was 5.6 notches less than Saturday’s mercury and 5.5 degrees below normal.

However, the night temperature rose to 26.7, 26.9 and 26.5°C in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, which was 1.7, 0.9 and 2.2 notches above previous night’s reading.