450 houses inundated in Jharkhand as rivers swell

Several areas in Medininagar and Jamshedpur, the district headquarters of Palamu and East Singhbhum districts respectively have been inundated as water from rivers swollen by incessant rainfall entered the localities, officials said on Friday, Aug 14.

Over 200 houses in Kandu Mohalla of Medininagar have been submerged and roads waterlogged, as water from the North Koel river entered the area early Friday morning. The Palamu district administration has alerted people and advised them not to go near the river, one of the state's prominent water bodies. Commuters also faced a difficult time due to the flash flood.

Senior officials were continuously monitoring the situation, they said. Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat said such a sudden flood was witnessed for the first time this season and it inundated several houses. District officials have been asked to remain vigilant and prevent people from venturing near the swollen river, he said while expressing hope that the water level would recede later in the day.

Meanwhile, the Kharkhai and Subarnarekha rivers were flowing above the danger level in Jamshedpur since Thursday night, East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Rajeev Ranjan, PTI reported. The administration is monitoring the situation and has alerted people living in the catchment areas.

An office-bearer of a non-governmental organisation said floodwaters had entered over 250 houses in low-lying areas: Bagbeda Naya Basti, Pradhan Tola and Shivnagar since Thursday night. "We have been keeping a close watch on the situation, as the water level has slightly receded this morning," he mentioned.