Heavy showers lashed parts of Jharkhand, including Ranchi, bringing down the state’s overall rain deficit by four per cent in past 48 hours, a weather official said on Thursday. Rainfall is likely to continue for next five days in Jharkhand with some temporary relief on Friday, he said.
The much-awaited downpour ushered in partial relief for farmers, who have been battling a drought-like situation over the past two months, the official said. City dwellers, however, faced water-logging and traffic disruptions during the day.
In Ranchi, three persons, including a medical student, sustained minor injuries after a boundary wall of a hostel of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) collapsed, said Vikas, the president of its junior doctors’ association.
Low-lying areas in the capital were flooded with rain water gushing into several houses. Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district received the 161.8 mm rainfall since Wednesday evening, while Ranchi experienced 62.4mm rainfall during same period.
The state’s overall rain deficit, which was at 48% on Tuesday, came down to 44% on Thursday. Jharkhand received 348.3mm rainfall from June-1 to August 11 against the usual average of 616.5 mm.
Abhishek Anand, the Ranchi Meteorological Centre in-charge, told PTI, “Heavy rain in Ranchi was caused due to a monsoon trough at mean sea level. It is now passing through the centre of well-marked low pressure area over Saurashtra and adjoining northeast Arabian sea, Ahmedabad, Raisen, Ranchi, Purulia and Digha.
“Since the system has moved towards southwest wards, there will be partial relief from the intensity of the rain from Thursday evening to Friday.” He said the rainfall will pick up on Saturday due to formation of another system over North Bay of Bengal.
“The system is likely to become more marked during the subsequent 24 hours and move west-northwestwards thereafter,” he said. The weather department has issued heavy rainfall alert for districts such as Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla and Ranchi on Saturday and Sunday.
(With PTI inputs)
