Gorakhpur: Around six hours of incessant rain between 1 am and 7 am on Saturday disrupted normal life across Gorakhpur, leaving major roads submerged, markets flooded and traffic severely affected.The city recorded 110.2 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours, one of the heaviest spells of the monsoon season, according to meteorologist Kailash Pandey.The worst-hit area was Rapti Complex, where a damaged drain wall allowed rainwater mixed with sewage to enter nearly 250 shops, causing heavy losses to traders. Water also entered the OPD area of the district hospital but was pumped out before Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak’s visit.Several key localities, including Dharamshala, Mohaddipur, Golghar, Reti Chowk, Betiahata, Civil Lines, Maya Bazar and Jatepur, witnessed severe waterlogging. Traffic crawled on major roads, while several vehicles broke down after water entered their engines. An e-rickshaw overturned in knee-deep water near Dharamshala, though no serious injuries were reported.In the Raiganj Road area of Alhadadpur, basements and parked vehicles inside a commercial complex were submerged. Residents of Awas Vikas Colony and Jatepur complained that rainwater entered their homes due to poor drainage.Meanwhile, a breach in the earthen embankment of the Saryu Canal near Gagaha led to water entering agricultural fields in Pichaura Tikri village. Officials said repair work was underway.An old tamarind tree also collapsed near the district disaster management office due to strong winds. The weather department has forecast light to moderate rainfall over the next 24 hours.
