By IANS
Ranchi : Incessant rainfall has claimed six lives in Jharkhand and badly affected normal life in many parts of the state.
Two persons died here Thursday, while two deaths were reported each from Jamshedpur and Chatra districts.
In one of the incidents, a tree fell on an auto rickshaw here killing one passenger and injuring three others.
On Thursday, Ranchi received rainfall of 55.5 mm. According to the met office here, the downpour will continue till Sunday.
"The low pressure formed in Bay of Bengal is causing heavy rain in the state. Jharkhand is likely to receive 230 mm rainfall this month," said A. Wadood, a meteorologist at Birsa Agriculture University here.
Large parts of the state have been inundated by rainwater. About four thousand houses were flooded in Jamshedpur. In the state capital Ranchi, at least two thousand houses were affected.
"We have shifted to a relative's house as water has flooded my house," said N.K. Mishra, a local resident.
Many flights and rail services connecting the state with the rest of the country have been delayed or cancelled. The Ranchi-Howrah Shatabdi express has remained cancelled for the last two days. More than a dozen trains are running three to ten hours late.
Work in many collieries of the Central Coalfield Limited (CCL) in the state has also been stopped.