Flood in Sukhna creates havoc in Naregaon & Chikalthana areas

Aurangabad, Oct 2:

Heavy rains lashed many settlements in Naregaon and Chikalthana areas from 3 to 4 am on Saturday. Sukhna river, which has never been so rough in the last eight decades, was flooded. The river basin finally showed its fury because of encroachments.

The largest bridge in front of Naregaon Garbage Depot was damaged. The main road was closed till 2 pm on Saturday as the water was flowing from the bridge.

Thousands of acres of farmland in the area were flooded. Heavy rains in the last month had damaged the crops up to 50 per cent twice. Two rivers flow through the city. One is Kham and the other is Sukhna. There have been huge encroachments at the basin of the two rivers in the last few years.

The thunderstorm started on Saturday morning. The torrential rain began at around 3.15 am. Sawangi Lake was already filled up to the brim. In a very short time, Sukhna river flooded due to rain like a cloudburst. River water entered many colonies of Naregaon.

The water level had risen to two to three feet before citizens who were in a deep sleep could realise anything.

The water level increased sharply on a river basis at around 5 am. Water was flowing over the bridge of the main road. The velocity of water was so high that there 50 to 60 feet wide cracks on both sides of nullah were seen. There was soil erosion also. Water accumulated in each farm of the areas up to three feet, causing damage to crops on a high level. The rain of 7 and 28 September destroyed 50 to 60 per cent of crops. Saturday’s rain-damaged remaining crops.

A tar road and bridge was constructed in front of an old garbage depot in Naregaon. The bridge was damaged because of river water. Remains of the tar road washed away up to five to 10 feet.

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation machinery did not reach it until Saturday afternoon.

Citizens had closed the road, which was dangerous for the traffic. There was no road for movement on foot.

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Water entered many colonies of Chikalthana

Around 1.5 to 2 feet of water accumulated in the Choudhary Colony of Chikalthana between 5 am to 5.30 am. Water was flowing wherever it could find its way. A drunkard man jumped into the water at 7.30 am behind District Civil Hospital. Residents from nearby areas were rescued near a crematorium.

The walls of Chikalthana crematorium were collapsed. Colonies like Goraksanath and Karvandewadi areas lost their contact with the main road of Choudhary Colony. More than 3,000 people were stranded since Saturday morning. Former corporator Sanjay Choudhary said that the bridge of the area was damaged. Water was flowing up to three feet over the bridge of Savta Mandir in the afternoon. Senior citizens like Kisanrao Dahihande, Bapusaheb Dahihande said that they had never seen the river in such a furious state in the last many years.