Rainwater continues to cause havoc in parts of country

Jamnagar (Gujarat)/ JAIPUR - Heavy rains continued their devastation as several regions across the country, were swept by a massive overflow of water bodies and drains on Tuesday.

The situation also exposed various false claims of administrators at various places of the country.

Caught in an endless spiral of incessant rainfall, many localities of Jamnagar in Gujarat remained submerged after waters from the city’s Lakota lake overflowed in the wake of heavy rains earlier in the day.

Local residents were left struggling for survival after water flooded their homes and inundated roads while bringing normal life in the city to a virtual standstill.

“Jamnagar faces five to six inches of rainfall in every monsoon season. Whenever this happens, water enters the houses and completely submerges low-lying localities of the city. Due to this, locals incur huge losses as many electrical items such as television sets and refrigerators are damaged. This time, the water level in the city is gauged at seven to eight feet (sic),” said Vinubhai Dhruv, a Corporator of Jamnagar.

Hundreds of people and vehicles remained stranded due to roads either being cut-off by the floodwaters or closed as a precautionary measure.

Stung by allegations of negligence and apathy, the local administration has swung into action by initiating rescue operations and measures to control the massive inflow of water.

“The Lakota pond, which is located in the heart of Jamnagar, has overflowed because of the rains. We have diverted the overflowing waters to the regional river, due to which the inflow has been significantly reduced. The outflow of water is also being controlled by regulating the gateways,” said P. Swarup, Commissioner of Jamnagar.

Meanwhile, a similar scene prevailed in the lake town of Sambhar in Jaipur district of Rajasthan state.

A flood like situation surfaced due to the massive downpour, submerging a major portion of the town.

Households in several low-lying villages of Sambhar were left in the lurch as the connecting roads were completely ravaged by the waters.

However, authorities maintained that the water was being pumped out and the situation was likely to improve in the next few days.

Swollen rivulets breached their banks due to the rains, forcing the villagers elsewhere in the state to abandon their homes and hearth to safer locations, rendering scores of families homeless.

Several parts of north India are reeling under floods following heavy monsoon rains.

The monsoon hit south India on May 31, 2010, a day ahead of schedule, which happens to be the indicator of the rainy season for the entire country. (ANI)