Downpour uproots trees, disrupts life

Panaji: Goa bore the brunt of nature’s fury on Monday as relentless rainfall swept across the state, leaving a trail of uprooted trees and disrupted daily life. The department of fire services was kept busy responding to numerous calls, the most significant being the fall of a massive tree near the multilevel car parking building at Patto, Panaji.

According to a fire serviceman at the scene, the call came in at approximately 4:45 am. “It took us a gruelling three hours, utilising four electric cutters and one petrol cutter, to finally clear the road of the fallen tree,” he said. Across the state, reports poured in of at least 25 trees being uprooted by the strong winds and saturated ground. Collapsed branches added to the chaos, with many entangled in electric wires, posing a risk of power outages, and others landing precariously on parked vehicles and roadways.

Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage caused by the day’s intense weather.The impact of the downpour was also felt by the coastal communities. Fishermen, already anticipating the annual fishing ban on June 1, were forced to anchor their vessels even earlier than expected due to the present sea conditions. “The sea was rough for almost a week, but today it was particularly bad,” said a fisherman from Chapora.While no casualties have been reported so far, authorities are likely to be on high alert as the monsoon season progresses.