Ajmer, July 19 (IANS) Two days of relentless rainfall have brought life to a standstill in Rajasthan’s Ajmer, causing severe waterlogging, flooding of homes, and loss of life, officials said.

In an unfortunate incident near Kishangarh, three girls drowned in a stream in Untda village, while a fourth girl was rescued and is currently undergoing treatment.

In the Dargah area, rising floodwaters swept away several people.

Eyewitnesses and shopkeepers acted swiftly, throwing ropes to pull the victims to safety.

Their prompt action likely prevented further tragedy.

Water has inundated the city’s main roads and inner streets, creating traffic chaos and making residential areas nearly inaccessible.

In Keriyon Ki Dhani, floodwaters entered around 20 homes, prompting emergency response teams to be on high alert.

The Ana Sagar Lake with a full capacity of 13 feet, has now swelled to 15 feet 11 inches, breaching its safe limit.

Water inflow continues, raising concern among local authorities.

Overflow has also begun in Varun Sagar Lake with nearby areas experiencing heavy flooding.

From 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., Ajmer recorded 64 mm of rainfall on Saturday.

With drainage from Ana Sagar Lake underway, authorities have shut down the road connecting Bajranggarh and Fountain Circle forcing residents to take a two-kilometre detour for what would normally be a 500-metre route.

Continuous pumping operations are being carried out, but the volume of water remains overwhelming.

Ajmer District Collector Lok Bandhu visited affected areas late Saturday night and continued monitoring from early Saturday morning.

Later on Saturday afternoon, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani inspected rain-affected localities and reviewed relief measures being taken by local administration and emergency services.

As relentless rains submerged large parts of Ajmer, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) emerged as a lifeline for citizens trapped in floodwaters.

In a massive rescue operation that began on the evening of July 18, SDRF personnel saved 176 people from various flooded colonies of the city, showcasing unwavering courage and commitment.

SDRF Commandant Rajendra Singh Sisodia said that the operation was launched following an alert received at 7:30 p.m. on July 18 from the Ajmer Police Control Room.

Citizens were reportedly stranded in multiple locations due to rapidly rising water levels.

Acting promptly, Jaipur SDRF Control Room deployed two rescue teams, led by Head Constables Baggi Meena and Bajrang Lal.

By Saturday evening, a 19-member rescue team, equipped with disaster management gear, reached the flood-affected areas and began operations without delay and saved many lives.

–IANS

arc/khz