Continuing Downpour Drowns Millennium City

Cuttack: Large areas of the city remained submerged on Friday with extremely heavy rain continuing to lash Cuttack unabated since Wednesday.

The total rainfall received till Thursday morning was 75 mm, which is 50 per cent more than the drainage capacity of the city.

The worst affected areas were Patapola, Sutahat, Makarbag Sahi, Baunsagali, Meria Bazar, Kazi Bazaar, Pension Lane, Dhobi Lane, Kesharpur, Deulasahi, Tulasipur, Rajabagicha and Mahanadi Vihar.

People in most low-lying reportedly stayed up all night as overflowing drains entered their homes.

CMC Commissioner Ananya Das said the corporation has deployed 17 high power pump sets of Fire Service and 8 sets of JICA-funded Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project, and 210 de-watering pump sets, including 24 Volvo sets, to drain out the storm water. The sluice gates at Khannagar, Matagajpur, Jobra and Gulguli have been opened for release of drain water, she added.