Chandrapur gets 280 mm of rain in four hours

Gates of the Irai dam that supplies water to Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station have been opened,adding to the flood.

Hundreds were reportedly stranded in private and public transport vehicles and tracks were submerged bringing to a halt north-south railway traffic.

It has been raining in Chandrapur since Sunday. The rain took a break Thursday,only to restart at noon Friday and continue for four hours paralysing everything.

Water gushed into several shops and houses,including that of former state BJP president Sudhir Mungantiwar,causing severe damage to property.

Guardian and state culture minister Sanjay Deotale’s convoy was also marooned. The minister had to take refuge in Chandrapur Municipal Corporation Standing Committee chief Ramu Tiwari’s house. After the rain receded,he went to the collector office to oversee relief operations.

There was flood-like situation in Gadchiroli,Bhandara,Gondia and Wardha districts as well. Ambazari lake in Nagour was overflowing after rain started lashing the city late in the evening.

Water had gushed into several localities,particularly those on the banks of Nag Pivli and Pora nullahs.

Contact with 15 villages in Kalmeshwar tehsil of Nagpur district has been reported cut.