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Waterlogging at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), after heavy monsoon rains in Patna on Saturday. Image Credit: PTI

Patna: Incessant rains in India’s Bihar state have opened the floodgates of misery for thousands of villagers — and the capital Patna is no exception.

On Sunday, rain water mixed with storm drain water entered the state-run Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna and later flooded the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital as well.

Small fish could be seen swimming around as used bandages and syringes floated on the water in the flooded ICU.

News agency ANI tweeted a video of fish swimming in the stagnant rainwaters at the hospital as many cots lay empty.

“Fish seen in waterlogged wards inside the Intensive Care Unit of the NMCH in Patna following heavy rainfall in the city,” tweeted ANI.

Local TV footage showed people wading through the knee-deep water flooding the hospital and bringing medicines for patients admitted there.

“We can’t believe that we are in the state capital. It’s worse than hell,” commented an attendant with anger writ large on her face.

Waterlogging at a ward of Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH), after heavy monsoon rains in Patna. PTI

The rainwater also entered Magadh Hospital, a prominent privately-run hospital located in the Rajendra Nagar locality of the state capital, causing much inconvenience to the patients and staff alike.

Rajendra Nagar and Kankarbag were the localities worst hit by waterlogging.

The rainwaters also flooded the home of Bihar’s deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

Heavy rains over the past two days also blocked traffic on Patna’s main Bailey Road, considered the lifeline of the state capital, after a large portion of the road caved in on Sunday.

The incident prompted the authorities to divert traffic from this road.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar while taking the matter seriously visited the spot in the company of senior officials and had a close inspection of the damaged site.

The chief minister has ordered an investigation into the entire incident.

“Bailey Road is more than 100 years old but nothing happed before. As per our knowledge, previously Sone river flowed by this site … we will be investigating into the entire issues,” Kumar told the media on Sunday.