Daijiworld Media Network – Margao

Margao, Jun 16: Incessant rains accompanied by strong winds kept the Margao fire brigade on its toes on Sunday, June 15, as multiple incidents of tree falls disrupted daily life across the city.

At least 11 distress calls were received by the fire control room, most related to trees uprooted due to the heavy downpour and winds. Several internal roads in Aquem were blocked, and a tree crashed onto a house, while another incident at the Housing Board left a vehicle damaged.

Margao fire officer Gill D’Souza said his team was working on clearing roads in Aquem first to ease traffic congestion. “A tree has also fallen at Davorlim, completely blocking the road, and we received two more calls from the Dramapur area about similar tree fall incidents,” he said.

Deputy collector M Shabir personally visited affected areas, taking stock of the damage caused by fallen trees on roads and houses.

Meanwhile, local activist and Madganvcho Awaaz convenor Prabhav Naik criticized the administration for its lack of monsoon preparedness. “Last year, I had written to the Collector about overgrown tree branches posing a threat. Though the Collector had directed the PWD to act, the trimming was done half-heartedly. Where is the monsoon preparedness? Is it still stuck in files?” Naik questioned.

With more rains predicted, locals urged authorities to expedite clearance operations and take preventive steps to avoid further damage.