Rain inundates parts of Cuttack, hits life

Cuttack: Rain lashed several parts of Cuttack on Tuesday under the influence of Cyclone Montha disrupting normal life across the city.

The overcast sky and persistent showers since early morning brought traffic to a crawl on major roads, while waterlogging was reported from low-lying areas such as Badambadi, Rover Street, Buxi Bazar, Patapole, Stewartpatana and Jobra.

“Water has entered our houses since morning. Despite repeated complaints, no one has come to clear the drains. We have been struggling to move out,” said Sasmita Behera, a resident of Stewartpatana, where there was knee-deep water in several lanes.

In Jobra, heavy waterlogging under the railway overbridge near the banks of the Mahanadi disrupted traffic movement for more than seven hours. “Hundreds of vehicles were stranded. The underpass looked like a pond. Many people had to take long detours,” said Sandeepan Parida, a resident of Jobra area. “Despite several complaints and reminders the civic body has done little to alleviate the situation,” added Parida.

CMC activated its control room and deployed teams to clear clogged drains and respond to waterlogging complaints. Mayor Subhash Singh said, “All 59 wards have been put on alert. Drain cleaning and dewatering machines are working continuously. We are taking every possible step to minimise inconvenience to people.”

As of Tuesday evening, rain continued without any major let-up, with IMD forecasting moderate to heavy showers over the next 24 hours in and around Cuttack.