Cyclone Biparjoy-triggered rain havoc in Rajasthan; 8 dead, 17,000 relocated
Triggered by cyclone ‘Biparjoy’, heavy rainfall has thrown normal life completely out of gear in Rajasthan and killed at least eight people in rain related incidents in the state so far.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot Tuesday conducted an aerial survey of Jalore, Sirohi and Barmer districts, which are among the five districts facing flood-like situation due to the continuous downpour as the storm gradually loses strength.
‘Heavy’ to ‘extremely heavy’ rainfall in several districts prompted authorities to accelerate rescue operations to minimise the loss to life and property in the wake of adverse weather conditions. As per IMD, ‘heavy’ to ‘very heavy’ rainfall was recorded in Ajmer, Bhilwara, Dholpur, Baran, Chittorgarh, Bundi, Sawaimadhopur, and Karauli districts in the last 24 hours ending Tuesday morning.
Some places in Dholpur and Ajmer faced water logging conditions. The Ana Sagar lake in Ajmer overflowed due to continuous downpour flooding nearby areas.
CM Gehlot reviews situation
Several low-lying areas were reported to be submerged in waters amid the intensified rainfall activities. CM Gehlot, while speaking to reporters during his inspection, said that about 15,000 to 17,000 people in the affected districts have been shifted to safer places. Gehlot said that about 2,000 power transformers and many roads have also been damaged.
A large number of electric poles have also been uprooted due to the rains, posing challenges to electricity supply. “The district administration is surveying the damage caused to livestock and houses as per the rules of SDRF. The affected will be compensated,” he said.
“We had already made preparations so that no matter what kind of calamity comes, the people do not get hurt,” he noted, adding that two columns of the Army were called as a precautionary measure. 17 teams of SDRF and 8 teams of NDRF are engaged in relief and rescue work in the state. Gehlot will visit Pali and Jodhpur districts on Wednesday to take stock of the situation.
‘Brief respite but rainfall activities to increase’
Cyclone ‘Biparjoy’, the only third to hit Gujarat in nearly 60 years, made landfall in the coastal state on Thursday evening as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’. It entered Rajasthan in the form of a ‘deep depression’ bringing heavy rainfall in the desert state. The Meteorological Department said Tuesday that the area of low pressure is currently formed over north-eastern Rajasthan and adjoining the Uttar Pradesh region. Wednesday onwards, there is a forecast of slow down in heavy rainfall, however, a MeT official told news agency PTI that from June 24 to 25, eastern Rajasthan will witness an increase in rain activities once again.
Trains cancelled
Several trains in Rajasthan were cancelled as the rail traffic was disrupted due to the storm. Union railways minister Ashwini Vaishnav said that tracks were uprooted at five places in the state. The North Western Railway announced trains including Jodhpur-Bhildi Express (04841), the Bhildi-Jodhpur Express (04842), the Jodhpur-Palanpur Express (14893) on Tuesday and the Palanpur- Jodhpur Express (14894) on Wednesday were cancelled.