The civic administration remained busy pumping out water from the low-lying areas as the waterlogged conditions continued in several parts of the city for the second day on Saturday.

The administration had attributed the severe waterlogging conditions to the 137mm rainfall in less than seven hours on Thursday night against the 12mm rainfall per hour managing capacity of the city drains.

Municipal commissioner Sarat Nayak on Saturday told The Telegraph that most of the de-watering pumps, which had gone under water and become defunct, were restored and started functioning by Friday midnight.

“In addition to the pumps that have been restored at 53 locations, another 150 de-watering pumps are pressed into service in the waterlogged areas,” Nayak said.

Official reports had categorised 50 localities spread over 33 wards as “marooned”. Around 230 pumps were positioned for clearing water in almost hundred locations since Friday night. But, malfunctioning of the pumps because of non-stop use was slowing down the problem.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation’s executive engineer (zone I) Manish Sarkar said the pumps that had been malfunctioning were replaced to continue uninterrupted pumping out of water from the waterlogged areas.

“The pumps rendered out of order were being immediately repaired and made ready for use,” Sarkar said.

The civic body’s executive engineer (zone-II) Bhagyadhar Sahoo said most of the pumps clearing water from the waterlogged areas were discharging water into the drains and the sluice gates of the two main surface water channels had been kept open at Khannagar and Matrubhavan for discharge into the Kathajodi river and the Taladanda canal, respectively.

There was problem in many areas where large stretches remained submerged as clearing of water was not possible with the pumps positioned as they have short-range pipes.

“We have now deployed pumps provided by the fire services with long range pipes to throw water at a distance from the area under water,” Sahoo said.

The civic body had deployed special squads to detect blockages which could be checking the flow of water into the drains. Officials said coolies had been engaged to remove the blockages (mostly solid waste) in the stretches close to the sluice gates.