Over 10 lakh people have been affected with high flood engulfing large parts of the coastal districts and distressing normal life in Orissa. Thousands of people have been evacuated to safer place as the largest river Mahanadi is overflowing.
Meanwhile, the state chief minister Naveen Patnaik has called on the army for relief and rescue operation. However, the flood is expected to get worse with the water released from Hirakund dam.
High alert has been sounded in seven districts: Subarnapur, Boudh, Nayagad, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur and Puri. Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani and Rushikulaya are flowing above the danger mark.
According to officials, though there is not much rainfall in the last couple of days, water released from Hirakund dam in Sambalpur district has submerged several low-lying villages and farmlands. As the dam was spilling over its capacity, it was necessary to discharge the excess flow, said an official.
So far, as per the government record a total of seven people have lost their lives, while 30,000 people have been evacuated to safer place.
As a precautionary measure, the Orissa government has ordered closure of all schools and colleges in flood affected region for next two days.
At local level, the district administrations were asked to provide free food items, drinking water, medicines and kerosene oil to the worst-hit villages. However, disruption of roads at several places further make the matter worse to reach marooned areas, says a district official of Kendrapada.
|
|
Read More: Sambalpur
Comments:
