Rains persist in Odisha, crisis feared

Bhubaneswar: Incessant rains continued on Thursday in many parts of Odisha raising fears of a flood-like situation. Reports from Rayagada, Malkangiri, Kalahandi and Boudh districts said many of the rivers were in spate and low-lying areas were inundated because of heavy rains. Reports from southern Odisha district said several villages were cut off as flood water washed away roads at several places affecting road communication.

The Odisha Disaster Response Action Force (ODRAF) and National Disaster Response Action Force (ODRAF) were deployed at sensitive places to carry out rescue and relief operations. Landslides in Raghubari GhatI in Rayagada district added to the woes of more than 5,000 residents of 40 villages, while landslides at Bonda Hills snapped road communication to Mudulipada and Andrahala panchayats.

Following incessant rains, roads connecting Raghubari to Patarapada, Haripur and Dimiriguda were also washed away. In Boudh, Tel river was reportedly flowing above danger mark threatening of impending flood. Road communication on State Highway 41 connecting Kantamala-Ghantapada was affected as the Adgudi bridge was under water.  

Similarly, Malikuda and Chichenda bridges in the district were also submerged, marooning at least 40 villages, including Ghantapada, Malikuda and Manikpura.

According to the latest reports, incessant rain continued to batter Malkangiri. While the district headquarters was cut off from the rest of the state, Pangama, MV-37, Karakonda and Kanyashram are in deluge. In Kalahandi, Hati, Tel and Sardul rivers were in spate causing flood water to gush into low lying areas. The Rupra Road was submerged due to which communication to and from Kalahandi-Rayagada and Narla was affected.

In a tragic incident, four persons of a family, including a three-year-old, were on Thursday injured after the wall of their house collapsed at Bhijiput village in Banki of Cuttack district. In another incident, a youth identified as Ram Chandra Bauri was swept away by a sudden gush of water near Gudari in Rayagada district.