Ranchi: Incessant rain since Monday evening threw life out of gear in the city on Tuesday, inundating localities, disrupting traffic and raising concerns over the rising Subarnarekha river. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Ranchi and adjoining districts till Wednesday.Waterlogging was reported from Upper Bazaar, Peace Road, Panchsheel Nagar in Pandra, Kantatoli, Shanti Nagar, Main Road and areas near the railway station. Roads in low-lying pockets remained submerged, forcing commuters and residents to wade through water.The rising Subarnarekha added to the anxiety. Residents said barely a foot of clearance remained beneath the Chutia-Namkum bridge, with the river flowing close to the underside of the ageing structure on Tuesday.“I saw water almost touching the underside of the bridge while crossing in the morning. The current was much stronger than usual and visibly close to the structure,” said Biplab, a commuter.In Upper Bazaar, waterlogging brought movement to a crawl in commercial stretches. Pedestrians were seen wading through rainwater. Similar scenes prevailed in Panchsheel Nagar and Shanti Nagar, where residents struggled to cross inundated lanes.Parts of Kantatoli witnessed severe water accumulation. Ward 13 councillor Pawan Tirkey said low-lying stretches face the problem during prolonged spells of rain. “People have difficulty crossing roads, and the situation worsens when vehicles splash water into adjoining areas. Immediate clearing of drains and accumulated water is required,” he said.Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) deployed super sucker machines, desilting equipment and excavators to clear clogged drains and remove silt and debris.Ranchi Meteorological Centre issued a red alert for Ranchi, Latehar, Chatra, Hazaribag and Ramgarh districts. The warning followed the formation of a depression over Jharkhand and adjoining parts of Gangetic West Bengal, centred over the state on Tuesday morning.“The depression is very likely to continue moving west-northwestwards across Jharkhand and Bihar and weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area during the next 24 hours,” said Baburaj PP, head of the centre.An orange alert was issued for Palamu, Garhwa, Lohardaga, Gumla, Koderma and Khunti, while a yellow alert remained in force for several southern and eastern districts. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph are also likely across the state.
