MEERUT, Sept. 8 -- The unprecedented downpour brought normal life to a standstill, flooding colonies, disrupting traffic, triggering prolonged power cuts and exposing gaps in urban drainage. In Bareilly, the situation was particularly upsetting in upgraded areas such as Rajendranagar, where around Rs.1,000 crore was spent under the Smart City project on roads, drainage, underground wiring and other infrastructure. Despite the investment in modern drainage, several areas were submerged under waist-deep water after the intense rain. Water entered ground-floor homes, damaging beds, sofas, electrical appliances and other belongings as residents struggled to drain it with buckets. Flooding severely disrupted traffic, with strong currents and submerged road cavities causing two-wheelers to topple into deep water. An 80-year-old house also collapsed, burying three scooters and damaging adjoining structures, highlighting the risks of prolonged waterlogging and ageing buildings. Several parts of Bareilly also plunged into darkness after the electricity supply was disrupted for hours. In Shahjahanpur, rain left Roza's industrial and residential areas severely affected. Four hours of continuous rain submerged roads under nearly three feet of water, disrupting traffic and power supply, with some areas remaining without electricity for nearly 15 hours. With roads and transport networks severely affected, district authorities ordered an emergency closure of primary and secondary schools as a precautionary measure. Bareilly municipal commissioner SK Maurya said the administration was working to drain water from affected parts of the city. "Heavy rainfall caused waterlogging in several areas. Our teams are working to ensure proper drainage," Maurya said....