Continuous rain since yesterday evening upset normal life in many parts of this premier city of North East India for the day today exposing yet again the indifference of the authorities in solving the city’s drainage system and the ill-effects of the rulers’ policy of placating the encroachers on the city hills. Experts here blame the situation to poor drainage system and the unabated encroachment and subsequent earth cutting in the city hills. The existing drainage system of the city has been made ineffective by the loads of silt generated by the bare hills and the garbage dumped by the irresponsible section of the Guwahatians. The indifference shown by the authorities concerned towards the issues has also added to the problem, said the experts.The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) here states that the city had received 72 mm of rainfall between 8-30 am of October 7 and 8-30 am today. It has also forecast that there is likelihood of a few spells of rain over the city with heavy downpours over some of its places during the next 24 hours. Moreover, the India Meteorology Department (IMD) website has forecast that there is possibility of moderate rain over the city also on October 9 and 10. It needs mention here that the South West Monsoon is yet to withdraw from the NE region and the IMD has stated that there was vigorous monsoon activity in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh during the past 24 hours. RMC sources said that there is a likelihood of rainfall activities over most places of Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh and over many places in the rest of the NE region during the next 24 hours since this afternoon. They also warned likelihood of heavy rains over Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh during the period.The rain has inundated many parts of the city affecting movement of the people. People using the vital city roads, like the Gopinath Bordoloi Road, RG Baruah Road and GS Road, had to face a lot of problems, as, storm water has kept long patches of these roads inundated since this morning. In some parts, these roads were under knee-deep to waist-deep water. Long queues of stranded vehicles were seen on these roads for hours. For the pedestrians, the situation was worse, as, the line of demarcation between the road and the drains, along with the uncovered manholes, was not visible for them. They had to wade through knee-deep and waist-deep gutter-mixed storm water, thus risking their lives.Many persons fell into the drains or on the uneven footpaths and several persons were reported injured in such incidents.Most of the city bye lanes, like the Pub-Sarania Road, FA Ahmed Road, Srinagar bye lanes etc were also submerged by the storm water. Many Guwahatians had to remain indoor during the day because of this situation. Storm water forced most of the city buses off the roads while the auto-rickshaw operators, rickshaw pullers and the street urchins had a field day.However, rains in the month of October are not abnormal phenomena for Guwahati. In the recent past, the city received 96.9 mm of rainfall on October 2, 2006, 141 mm of rainfall on October 7, 2004 and 111.4 mm of rainfall on October 10, 2003.However, in October 2007, the monthly total rainfall received by the city was 118.7 mm. It received a total rainfall of 119.9 mm in October 2006, a total October rainfall of 117.2 mm in 2005, 354.4 mm in October 2004, 182.8 mm in October 2003, 185. 7 mm in October 2001 and 129.8 mm of rainfall in October 1999.But the October total mean rainfall calculated for the city by the RMC, based on its rainfall data, is 79.2 mm. Based on these data, the mean October rainy days for the city have been worked out as 5.3 and out of these the mean number of days with thunder for the city has been worked out as 4.5.The city today recorded a maximum temperature of 28.4 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature it recorded today was 24.0 degree Celsius.
