PANJIM: It seemed like a swan song. A last tango. The retreating monsoons lashed down in full flow with a symphony of thunder and lightning but it wasn’t quite music for Goans.
Havoc was wrecked as heavy rains accompanied by strong winds battered the State throwing normal life out of gear on Friday.
The inclement weather kept the fire service personnel on their toes to mitigate the havoc caused due to the rain fury.
In Panjim, traffic moved at snail's pace at most of the roads, giving traffic cops a tough time.
Roads were submerged at many places and low lying areas were flooded. A tree fell at Shankarwadi, Taleigao, causing traffic disruption.
There was a report of two trees falling on a road in Margao. In Porvorim, there was a report of a tree falling on the road while a branch of a tree fell on a four-wheeler at Chogm Road. However, nobody was injured, sources in the Fire Services told O Heraldo.
In Pernem, there were reports of multiple trees getting uprooted and electricity poles tilting towards the road. Fortunately, no casualties were reported though roads were blocked due to falling of trees and poles.
A personnel at the Pernem Fire Service Station, said, “A mango tree fell on a house causing damage of Rs 50,000 while a branch of a mango tree fell on a temple at Dhargalim.”
“There was also a report of a coconut tree falling on electricity lines causing electricity poles to tilt towards the road,” he added.
A Fire Services staff at Vasco Fire Station said, “There was a report of a landslide at Chicalim wherein a portion of a house was damaged while there were reports of trees falling at eight different locations under the Vasco Fire Station jurisdiction.”
In Margao, there were reports of two trees falling on the road. However, there was no report of any casualty.
Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Altinho, warned of increase in rainfall activity accompanied by gusty winds in the State for next two days due to low pressure areas over Goa.
A low-pressure area lies over the east-central Arabian Sea off south Konkan-Goa coasts. It is likely to become a well-marked low pressure area over the same area during the next 24 hours. It is likely to persist over the same region during subsequent 24 hours.
“Another low-pressure area lies over north-east and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal. It is likely to become a well-marked low pressure area and move north-westwards towards north Odisha and adjoining West Bengal coasts during next 48 hours,'' the IMD said.
The IMD extended the orange warning to September 30 as well implying that the heavy rainfall activity will continue over the State.
“Thunderstorms with lighting and wind speed reaching 45-55 km/h, gusting to 65 km/h are very likely at isolated places over North and South Goa on September 30,” the IMD said.
For October 1, the weather office said heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places over North and South Goa districts of the State.