OPD services impacted in Ajmer hospital due to flooding, authorities say water being drained out

Ajmer (Rajasthan) [India], June 19 : Efforts to clear floodwater from the premises of Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Hospital in Rajasthan's Ajmer after heavy rains are still ongoing, said authorities on Monday.

The JLN hospital was flooded following 24 hours of heavy rainfall in the city under the influence of cyclonic storm Biparjoy on Sunday.

Rainwater entered the hospital's orthopaedic ward, ophthalmology department, outdoor ward, X-ray room, and medicine counter, causing a great level of inconvenience for hospital staff as well as visitors.

The cleaning staff at the hospital has been at work since the early morning hours to clear the premises of waterlogging and damage. The hospital was supposed to open up to outdoor patients at 9 am on Monday, however, the heavy flooding prevented this.

A large amount of rainwater has made it difficult for the staff to clean up the premises.

According to the cleaning staff supervisor, Harinarayan Lakhan, "The hospital floor is quite low, and because of this, it can flood easily. In such a case, patients have to be shifted to another ward."

Since JLN Hospital is one of the biggest hospitals in the division, a lot of patients come for treatment on a daily basis.

Many of them complained of facing inconveniences since the morning because of the flooding.

The medicine counter in charge, Arpana, said, "Because of the rain the water has filled all around. Some of the medicines have been damaged due to the flooding but the cleaning staff is currently trying to drain the water from the place, which is also proving difficult due to the amount of water."

"The water is inconveniencing the patients. After the cleaning process is completed, we will start the outdoor facilities. Right now, there is difficulty because the water is a lot and there is mud all around," a doctor at the hospital said.

The flooding in the hospital has caused inconvenience to patients as well as their family members. The patients in the flooded wards were shifted to higher floors.

Earlier, on June 18, heavy rain lashed parts of Rajasthan's Barmer district under the influence of cyclonic storm Biparjoy on Sunday. Severe waterlogging and a flood-like situation were seen at various places. The rain was accompanied by strong winds.

"As cyclone Biparjoy has weakened into a deep depression and is moving in the East-North East direction, heavy rainfall is likely at one or two places over South Rajasthan and adjoining areas of North Gujarat", said Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra on Saturday.

Presently, Cyclone Biparjoy has weakened into a 'Depression' over Northeast Rajasthan and adjoining areas and moved to Rajasthan following its landfall in Gujarat, as per the India Meteorological Department's forecasts.

IMD's latest tweet reads, "Depression (Remnant of Cyclonic Storm 'Biparjoy') weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area and lay at 0830 IST of today over central parts of NE Rajasthan and neighbourhood. Very likely to continue to move nearly ENE-wards and weaken further during next 24 hours."