Ten
people have been killed and 1.5 lakh others have been affected due to flash
floods in Odisha. Around 129 villages were flooded due to the continuous rain
for four days in Ganjam district of Odisha. The One Day Cricket match between
India and Australia which is to be held on Saturday in Cuttack is likely to be cancelled. The
Government of Odisha said that schools and colleges in all 12 flood affected
districts will be closed till Monday. Train services from Khurda to
Vishakhapatnam have been badly hit.
According
to the special relief commissioner, PK Mohapatra, "Following heavy rain
for four days, water level in rivers in south Odisha are above danger level and
have entered many villages". The blocks affected in flash flood include
Chikiti, Hinjili, Sana Khemundi, Patrapur, Dharakote, Aska, Parlakhemundi,
Mohana. Some areas of Gajapati district were also reported to have been
affected. He added that the collectors of all coastal districts have been
directed to evacuate people from low-lying areas. Two persons have died in wall
collapse due to rain in Khallikote and Rangeilunda since yesterday, district
emergency officer Mahendra Panda said. About 40,000 marooned people had been
evacuated from Patrapur, Sana Khemundi, Chikiti, Digappahandi, Hinjili,
Sheragada and Purushottampur in Ganjam, he said. Another 10,000 people were evacuated
from Gajapati district, the special relief commissioner's office said. With
rivers like Rusikulya, Bansadhara and Ghodahada rising due to non-stop rain for
the last four days, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the administration
to provide cooked food to the people in relief camps, Mohapatra said.
"The
flash flood has hampered relief and restoration work in places worst-affected
by the cyclone," Revenue and Disaster Management minister SN Patro said.
Some evacuated people have already been sent to relief camps following cyclone
Phailin that struck Gopalpur on October 12, with the state government deploying
personnel of NDRF, OFRAF and fire services for evacuation, Patro said. Another
80,000 houses have collapsed in the torrential rain, Mohapatra said, adding
that the total number of houses damaged in both cyclone and flood in Ganjam has
risen to 3.40 lakh.
Meanwhile,
the local unit of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy
rain in central and interior districts. A well marked low pressure area now lay
over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining areas of Telangana and Rayalaseema
area, the latest bulletin said. Rain or thundershower would occur at most
places over Odisha in next the 24 hours, it added.
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