Jamshedpur, July 6: Children were seen forming human chains to walk through water-logged streets as large areas of the city, including places like Shastrinagar in Kadma, Jugsalai, Bagbera and Adarshnagar in Sonari remained submerged since early morning today.

Today the recorded rainfall stands at 101mm, against the alarmingly high 181mm on Thursday.

Phase IV and VI in Adarshnagar are worst affected, with the posh Ashiana Gardens, facing a threat of water entering homes, if rains continue in the next 24 hours.

Vast stretches in Mango and Bagbera are also under water with the old bridge in Mango almost on the verge of being submerged. “The situation is very tense. We are at our wits’ end. We are trying to move our things to a safer place,” said Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Mango.

Houses along the Old Purulia Road are the worst-affected with family members finding it difficult to keep their belongings afloat. While mothers were desperately holding on to their kids as water gushed into their homes, male members of the family were distressed and moved their belongings from one place to another. People were seen helping each other out and clinging for support.

“We don’t know what will happen now, unless it stops raining immediately, everything would be in a mess,” cried a lady in distress.

All low-lying areas in the city including the Dimna and the Baridih bustee are also under water, and with more rain predicted in the next few hours, the condition can only get worse.

The heavy rains have also caused a concern for the zoo authorities in the city.

At the Tata Steel Zoological Park, four gharials and the crocodile have been put inside cages on a higher platform with a security alert system in place. The leopard at the zoo has also been shifted to an open area under the direct supervision of zoo authorities. “If the need arises, we would even shift the birds to a safer place,” said M.S. Jain, the director of the zoo.

With more rain predicted, one could only hope the situation improves.