300 families affected as record rains lash Jharkhand

In record rainfall witnessed in the last 24 hours in Jharkhand, over 300 families living in low-lying areas were affected as several regions in and around the city were inundated, causing rivers Kharkhai and Swarnarekha to flow over the danger mark.
Over 150 families were affected in Bagbera and Kadma areas of the city after several places in the catchment areas submerged due to incessant rains and opening of a sluice gate from adjoining Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.
East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar told PTI that the district administration has alerted the people living in catchment areas after the Mayurbhanj district administration decided to open a sluice gate of Bankbal dam last night.

Around 100 to 150 families living in low-lying areas on the banks of river Kharkhai were affected, but they returned home this morning after the sluice gate in Odisha was closed, he said, adding around 30 families within Kadma police station limits have been shifted to safer places in view of the swelling Kharkhai river which was flowing over the red mark.
The district administration has taken all precautionary measures and alerted the people in flood-prone areas in advance, the DC said, adding food materials were distributed among affected families this morning.
Kumar confirmed that there was no report of any casualty from the district so far and the administration was prepared to meet any eventuality.

"We are continuously monitoring the water level of the two rivers and gathering report every two hours. We have kept all options open including calling in the NDRF," he said.

Sub-Divisional Officer (Dalbhum), Suraj Kumar, said reports of inundation were received from areas such as Bagbera, Kadma, Shastrinagar, Shantinagar and Kapali.
Areas in Shantinagar and Kapali of Mango were inundated owing to heavy rains since yesterday as well as water discharge from six sluice gates of Chandil Dam in adjoining Seraikela-Kharswan district, he said.
The district disaster management team has been kept ready to meet any eventuality, while the administration has also identified school buildings and community halls to shift the affected, if required, the SDO said.

Several districts of Jharkhand, including Ranchi, also received heavy rains.