Bihar records highest rainfall this season in 25 years

Patna, Sep 29 (UNI) Life in Patna and in most parts of Bihar remained crippled for the third day today following continuous rain which inundated large areas.

The local Met office said capital Patna received 1531 mm rain this season so far which already crossed last 25 years' record. It also saw a record 74.8 mm rain in the last two days, bringing life to a near standstill. Besides, there was no let up in rain.

''Similar weather conditions will continue in the next 48 hours as a result of a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal which has now moved over to Bihar and Jharkhand,'' the Met office informed.

All low-lying areas in Patna and elsewhere were flooded with rain water flowing over two metres in most places.

Lakhs of people even in posh localities like Rajendranagar, Srikrishnagar, Patliputra Colony, Kankarbagh, Bailey road, Frazer Road and Boring Road remained marooned for two days and were facing severe crisis of food and water.

As rain water entered most of the ground floor houses,hundreds of people had to be evacuated to safer places. The entire city resembled a vast pool. Last two days' rain had also flooded the State Secretariat and Assembly complexes and inundated the road leading to Raj Bhavan.

All schools and colleges in the city and its neighbourhood remained closed for the past two days and attendance in government and other offices was sparse. Markets wore a deserted look as there was no supply of vegetables and other goods from outside, for the past three days resulting in steep hike in prices.

The number of vehicles on inundated roads was few as the inclement weather forced people to remain indoors.

The East Central Railway has cancelled, short terminated or diverted a number of long distance trains as tracks in many places, including Patna junction, were under knee-deep water crippling the signal system.

Among the affected trains are New Delhi-Jansadharan Express, Magadh Express, Purba Express, Hatia-Ranchi Express and Patna-Mathura Express, the ECR sources informed UNI.

Both the morning 'Indian' flights to Delhi and Mumbai operated behind schedule, IA sources said.

Besides Patna, other places which recorded high rainfall today were Muzaffarpur 78 mm, Balmikinagar 63 mm, Hayaghat 54 mm and Munger 60 mm.

UNI