Heavy rains continue to wreak havoc

{ AJMER, KOTA SEVERELY AFFECTED

- HT Correspondents

Heavy rains continued to wreak havoc in Rajasthan on Sunday while the water level in the dams increased nearly double the quantity recorded in the previous year, showed data collected from the State Water Resources Portal.

Monsoon officially entered the state on June 20, as per the meteorological officials, and the heavy rainfall started from the very first day in the state, particularly in its eastern part. Following an incessant heavy rain over the last three days, a flood-like situation unfolded in Ajmer, Kota, Baran, Pali districts, while many other places reported severe waterlogging, building collapse, and deaths, officials said.

Though the intensity of rainfall reduced on Sunday, the maximum amount of rainfall of 150mm was recorded in Sirohi’s Mt Abu tehsil, followed by 100mm in Jodhpur’s Osian, 80mm in Barmer and Jalore, 60mm Sirohi’s Pindwara, and 50mm in Sirohi’s Abu Road, showed the data by IMD.

A flood-like situation has been witnessed in Ajmer due to the heavy rainfall due to which the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has evacuated 176 people to safer locations on Saturday, said officials. Schools remained closed in six districts in the state on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the water level in dams across the state showed a steady rise. Over 66.04% of the total water storage of 693 dams in Rajasthan was filled till Saturday after incessant heavy rains since Wednesday, which was only 35.70% in the same period (as of July 19) last year.