Ranchi: Children had a narrow escape in Doranda on Friday morning after a tree fell on a St Xavier’s School bus near AG More. The incident triggered panic among the students, but no casualties or injuries were reported.In a separate incident, a tree fell on a Sarala Birla School bus near Doranda College. No one was injured there either. Trees also fell near the Army camp in Khelgaon, Booty More and Singh More, disrupting traffic temporarily. At Project Building, a large tree fell on parked cars, damaging several vehicles.The incidents occurred amid relentless rain that has battered the city since Wednesday, uprooting trees and snapping branches at several locations. Residents and authorities said waterlogged soil and ageing trees had increased the risk of such incidents. Civic teams continued clearing fallen trees and restoring traffic movement.A persistent downpour also disrupted daily life across the city. Schools and tuition classes recorded poor attendance, markets saw fewer customers and several roadside vendors either shut shop or scaled down operations, fearing damage to temporary structures.“Customers were far fewer than on a normal Friday. People only came to buy essentials and left quickly because of the rain,” said Rakesh Sao, a vegetable seller at Doranda Market.Sunil Mahato, who runs a roadside snack stall in Dhurwa, said he kept his shop closed as the rain and strong winds had made the structure unsafe. “If the tarpaulin or bamboo frame gave way while someone is inside, it could have caused an accident,” he said.Waterlogged roads, swollen drains and submerged stretches slowed traffic in several parts of the city. Low-lying areas also reported overflowing drains.“Many children skipped classes because roads in several localities were waterlogged. Parents were hesitant to send younger students out in such weather,” said Dipika, a tuition teacher in Lalpur.Heavy rain pushed Ranchi’s three major dams close to their maximum levels. Getalsud dam stood at 1,932.01 ft against its maximum of 1,936 ft. Gonda dam was at 2,127 ft 5in against 2,128 ft, while Hatia dam recorded 2,197 ft 8 inches against 2,200 ft, said Vijay Edwin, superintending engineer, drinking water and sanitation department, Ranchi division.The district administration ordered the closure of all schools from KG to Class 12 on Saturday following the IMD’s heavy rain alert. It warned of action under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, against institutions violating the order.
