Trains Go off Track in Rain-hits Odisha

Trains Go off Track in Rain-hits Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Southern and western pockets of Odisha were pounded by heavy shower as the low pressure off the State’s coast remained stationary.

Jeypore received a whopping 270 mm rain in the last 24 hours, the highest in the State. The district headquarters town Koraput also recorded 175 mm rain which led to mudslide affecting normal life and even hitting train services in the region.

The Durg-Jagdalpur Express, carrying 77 passengers, was detained en route late last night as railway tracks along Koraput-Jagdalpur section were blocked following a mudslide caused by heavy shower. With trees and boulders preventing passage of trains, the train was detained at about 1.30 am.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) sent a relief train to bring back the stranded passengers to Jarati station. Later, arrangements were made for their transportation to different destinations on road.

The mudslide affected train traffic movement along the route. Though Railway teams reached the site on foot, the tracks could be cleared only by Monday afternoon. Senior Railway officials from Koraput and Jagdalpur also reached the site to clear the obstruction on track and resume train operations. Officials from Visakhapatnam are also on their way.

The ECoR sources said damage to track was huge but restoration operation was underway on a war-footing. Normal train movement will resume on Tuesday.

At least three trains - Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express, Jagdalpur-Howrah Samaleswari Express and Jagdalpur-Durg Express were cancelled between Jagdalpur and Koraput because of the disruption on Monday. Five more trains were also regulated.

Meanwhile, the weather office said the weather system will continue to trigger rain in south Odisha on Tuesday.

The rainfall zone, however, will shift to western and central Odisha before reaching north Odisha in next 48 hours.

Large parts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts received heavy shower in the last 24 hours due to the low pressure. Bhawanipatna with 170 mm, Bargarh with 120 mm and Narla with 110 mm topped the rainfall chart after Jeypore and Koraput.

Director, IMD, Odisha SC Sahu said the system is expected to induce more rain in northern Odisha by July 30. Under its impact, showers will continue well into next week. “Model prediction says the rainfall will continue till August 4-5,” he added.

Meanwhile, the State Government has asked the district collectors to keep a close eye on the rainfall situation.

Source: The New Indian Express.