Berhampur: Residents of Gajapati Nagar, Nilanchal Nagar and some other areas in the city are suffering from waterlogging of roads and drains because of incessant rain.

The residents of lane Nos. 10, 11 and 12 at Gajapati Nagar are the worst affected. "The situation has turned so worst that not a single student from Gajapati Nagar or the adjoining Neelachal Nagar could go to school on Saturday as the main road connecting these lanes were flooded with water," said local resident Satish Patnaik. As the roads were under knee-deep water, many were forced to remain inside the house.

The main road had been washed away 19 years ago during October 1999 super cyclone accompanied by incessant rain. "Though the Berhampur Municipal Corporation has reconstructed some of the Gajapati Nagar lanes with concrete, the road levels remained as low as they used to be before. Though drains have been constructed, no step was taken for de-silting them to allow the free passage of rainwater. Once the city receives a good rain, we people will have to wade through drain water which overflows on the streets," said Gajapati Nagar Development Council president Rajendra Kumar Panda.

During Phailin, the incessant rain had also created havoc at Gajapati Nagar, Neelachal Nagar and Basudev Nagar. About 75,000 people residing at Alakapuri, Basudev Nagar, Neelakantha Nagar, Kalinga Nagar, Saradhabali, Bijaya Bihar, Shakti Nagar and Banchanidhi Nagar were affected at that time, said council secretary Satish Panigrahi.

Discharge of a huge amount of water through the Bahana nullah to the sea has compounded the problem. Many houses were under 2ft of water and the people had to stay on the roof till the water receded. The Gajapati Nagar Development Committee had arranged for candles, matches as well as cooked and dry food for the affected people during Phailin.

Deputy mayor Jyostna Nayak said the low-lying areas of Gajapati Nagar were facing the problem. "We have pressed into service a powerful pump set to drain out the water flooded on the road."