Residents of Shastrinagar were rescued by a makeshift boat built with empty drums (top), while others take shelter at a safe place as water gushed into homes. Pictures by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, July 30: A flood-like situation prevailed in the steel city and adjoining areas, with slums in the low-lying areas completely submerged in the incessant downpour over the past couple of days.

The situation worsened this morning after heavy showers from last night led to waterlogging in several areas, including Mango, Adityapur, Kadma and Bagbera. The water level at Subarnarekha and Kharkai rivers, which has risen significantly, has already inundated the slums in Bagbera, Shastrinagar, Adityapur and Mango. Several families in Shastrinagar and Bhatia Park in Kadma, Baba Kutir and Naya Bustee in Bagbera, Saldih bustee in Adityapur and Sanlosai in Mango were rendered homeless.

The district administration with assistance from Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company, a Tata Steel subsidiary, pressed into service three boats at Shastrinagar for rescue operation.

Tubes and drums were also used to evacuate affected persons. About 1,000 families in different blocks of Shastrinagar were rescued, while about 600 families at Baba Kutir and Naya Bustee, under Bagbera police station, are without shelter. ?I have never witnessed such a situation during my 20 years of stay in this locality. Mushrooming of houses on unauthorised plots and poor civic amenities are the reasons behind this water-logging,? said Dhananjay Kar of Shastrinagar block II. In Adityapur industrial area phase-I, water has entered several units, including Highco Engineering, Shanti Udyog and Pawan Industries.

Temporary camps have been set up at seven places ? Karimia Vidyalaya, Jai Prakash Vidyalaya, Samleshwari Vidya Mandir, Gwalapara Vidyalaya, Naya Bustee Primary School, Saraswati Shishu Mandir and Jamshedpur Workers? College.

Deputy commissioner Nitin Madan Kulkarni, who declared 2,500 families have been affected, convened an emergency meeting to tackle the situation. ?Affected families have been provided shelter at temporary camps. Puffed rice and jaggery were also distributed to them in the afternoon. Efforts are being made to provide khichdi to the relief camps at night,? said Kulkarni.

The Patna meteorological office, which recorded rainfall of more than 50 mm during the last 24 hours in Jamshedpur, Hazaribagh, Daltonganj, Seraikela-Kharsawan and Palamau, has predicted more showers in the next 24 hours.

The heavy rains had its impact on the movement of trains, too. The Howrah-Mumbai Geetanjali Express and Tata-Alleppey Express (Down) were running several hours behind schedule as the overhead wires had snapped at Goelkera station.