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24 lakh hit by Orissa floods

Satyasundar Barik

61 breaches in river embankments

5,70,000 people in 1,849 villages are marooned
Government seeks Rs.1,500 crore for relief works

BHUBANESWAR: Flooding in the Mahanadi continued on Sunday causing 61 breaches in river embankments, leaving behind a trail of devastation submerging hundreds of villages. Lakhs of people were waiting for rescue and relief in the flooded zones.

According to State Revenue and Disaster Management (RDM) department, 5,70,000 people in 1,849 villages were marooned owing to floods in Mahanadi and many of its branch rivers.

Food packets dropped

A total of 24 lakh people of the State were affected by this flood, stated to be a massive one seen in last few decades. The official death toll figure was put at 17.

Although helicopters of the Indian Air Force made nine sorties dropping food packets and water pouches in regions cut off by floodwaters, administration was struggling to reach people stranded in inaccessible areas.

Fear of diseases

Thousands of people in Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Puri districts took shelter along roadsides and river embankments under temporary polythene roofs depending purely on whatever little food was supplied by the administration. with Intermittent rains have made their shelters inhospitable creating fear of diseases.

As on Sunday, 17 districts were experiencing high floods and water entered 3,683 villages.

“We have been able to dispatch relief materials to marooned villages but there are still some areas under Banki block of Cuttack district, which could not be covered under effective relief operation,” RDM Secretary GVV Sharma said.

Roads damaged

More than 1,500 roads were damaged. A major portion of National Highway 205, connecting State capital Bhubaneswar with tourist destination Puri remained cut off on Sunday. Konark was also cut off from the main land with water flowing over the major connecting road.

Some respite

Meanwhile, water has started receding in the interior districts. At one time, 46 gates of the Hirakud reservoir were opened, now water was being released through 33 gates. Similarly, water discharge level at Mundali had come down to 13.33 lakh cusecs, which was once measured at 18.82 lakh cusecs.

State government has demanded that the devastative floods be declared a national calamity and sought release of Rs.1,500 crore as interim assistance for relief, rescue and rehabilitation works.

Orissa asks Army to stand-by as flood situation worsens

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