Bareilly (UP), Jun 17: A spell of heavy rain from midnight to 8 am on Monday left most parts of Bareilly city waterlogged, severely disrupting daily life, traffic and train movement.
Several trees were uprooted due to the accompanying storm while lightning strikes claimed three lives in different parts of the district, according to officials.
The officials said waterlogging was reported across the city, with certain areas experiencing a flood-like situation. The Bareilly-Rampur highway and the outpost near Dulha Miyan’s shrine on the highway at Sarai Chawki were submerged.
Traffic came to a standstill due to waterlogging and fallen trees. Several vehicles were partially submerged, causing distress to commuters. Long queues of stranded vehicles were seen on the highway before police intervened to manage the situation.
Bareilly Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) said that despite the heavy rain, no casualties were reported in the city, and the district is not currently facing a flood-like situation.
Residents of Subhash Nagar faced the brunt of the waterlogging.
The Subhash Nagar culvert, as in previous years, was submerged under nearly three feet of water, making it extremely difficult for people, especially office-goers, to leave their homes.
Residents waded through knee-deep water and expressed anger towards politicians, claiming that their locality’s problems have remained unresolved since independence. Political leaders make lofty promises during elections and disappear afterwards, they alleged.
The rain also hit train operations. The tracks between Bareilly City and Junction were submerged under nearly four feet of water, bringing services on the Bareilly-Kasganj route to a halt. At least five trains were stranded en route and more were affected, according to an official.
Three people were killed after they were struck by lightning in separate incidents in the rural areas of the district, according to police.
In Bhojipura, 25-year-old Durga Prasad died after he was struck by lightning while he was attending to nature’s call in a field, police said.
In Mirzapur, Baheri, 22-year-old Fardeen Ansari was standing under a tree when he was fatally struck by lightning.
Another man, Mangli, died in Sindhauli, Meerganj, after he was struck by lightning while working at a brick kiln, police said.(PTI)
