Ranchi, Aug 12 (IANS): Incessant rains since Saturday have seriously hit economic activity and life in parts of Jharkhand. Of the season's rainfall of 730 mm, 300 mm have fallen in the week itself, an official said.

Flood waters have submerged railway tracks and inundated homes and at least three mines of the Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) in Ranchi and Chatra town.

Water has even entered a temple in Rajrappa.

"The railway track is under water near Patratu station," an official told IANS.

"Tracks have been flooded at many places on Coal India section. The trains are running late. At many places goods trains have got stranded."

Jharkhand has had 300 mm of rainfall since Saturday, an official of Met department said, of the total of over 730 mm this season. They augur well for the sowing season but have created havoc with life.

In Chatra district, more than 20 villages have been disconnected from other parts of the district after a bridge near Simeria was washed away by an overflowing river.

"Hundreds of houses have been flooded in Ranchi, Palamau, Gumla, Lohardagga and other districts," a government official said.

"At least four bridges have been washed away and seven rivers like Swaranarekha, Damodar and Nagfeni are flowing over danger mark."

A large part of a temple situated at Rajrappa in Ramgarh district has been flooded. The temple is situated on the bank of Damodar river.

"I have not seen Damodar river enter the temple in my life," temple priest D. Mishra said. "If the rains continue, the sanctum sanctorum will also be flooded."

The Patratu Thermal Power Plant Station dam is flowing over the danger mark and, after many years, the four gates of the dam have been kept open.