Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, May 20: Incessant rain triggered by cyclonic storm Roanu disrupted life in the twin cities today.

Rain-soaked city streets wore a deserted look, while trees were uprooted in many localities. Rain led to waterlogging in low-lying areas and sanitation services were also hampered.

Waterlogging also resulted in long traffic snarls in some areas, including the central business districts of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

People living in low-lying areas of Bhubaneswar, such as Acharya Vihar and Palasuni, suffered as choked drains overflowed due to continuous downpour since the morning.

The civic bodies of both the cities had a tough time carrying out sweeping and cleaning operations in several localities.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has cancelled holidays of its officials for a week to keep a tab on the low-lying areas.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said that ward officers would monitor the activities of the private contractors engaged to remove garbage.

"It has been raining continuously since morning. How will we sweep or conduct the cleaning services on wet surfaces?" asked Kamalakanta Bhoi, a sweeper of the BMC.

A senior BMC official said that they would shortly install pumps to drain out water from the inundated areas of Bhubaneswar.

"We are preparing a contingent plan to tackle urban flooding. We will shortly pump out the water from the low-lying areas. The sudden rain has caught us unguarded," said the official who did not want to be named.

City health officer of Cuttack P.K. Pradhan said: "We have asked the sanitation agency to focus on timely collection and disposal of solid waste. People can lodge complaints with the civic body if waste is not lifted from any locality."

Another official of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation said that the officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency's integrated sanitation project would take adequate measures to clear temporary blockages in all the drainage channels.