A waterlogged road at Modipara in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Aug. 3: Heavy downpour for nearly nine hours created havoc in the city today. Rainwater entered houses and shops with water flowing over the roads at many areas in the city.

Laxmi Talkies Chhak, Ainthapali, Modipara and Golebazar faced waterlogging. The rainwater entered into the houses at Housing Board colony, Cherua para, Danipali, Gopalmal, Modipara, Bahalpara, Sakhipara, Thakurpara, SRIT colony and several other areas of Sambalpur. Commuters had a hard time because of the rain.

“This situation is mainly because of the choked drains. The municipality launched a pre-monsoon sanitation drive to remove silt from drains. The work was never done seriously. The cleaning operation was left half way. No steps were taken to clean major drains such as Dhobijor Nullah and the Tangna Nullah of the city,” Balgopal Panigrahi, said a resident of Modipara.

“And now, the choked drains have created flood-like situation in several city areas,” he said.

Similarly, in the Housing Board Colony, water has entered houses. “The situation is not new for the residents. Because of encroachments along the drains, water does not find space to get released and enters into the houses. The municipality and the administration should think of evolving a permanent solution to the problem,” said a resident of HousIng Board Colony, Sraban Pati.

“The authority had closed the sluice gates of the Hirakud dam after the heavy rainfall in Sambalpur. However, because of the clogged drains, the rainwater could not be released into the Mahanadi,” said Sandeep Khandelwal, a city resident.