Published on : Friday, August 8, 2014
Heavy downpour during the past week has caused widespread floods in Odhisa.
The floods have hit nearly a million people in Odisha, with the number of deaths rising to 27, an official said on Wednesday.
Nearly one million people have been affected so far in the state since Saturday, an official of the state flood control room said.
“Till now, 398 villages with 241,658 people have been marooned, 139,023 people have been evacuated and 429 free kitchens are running to provide meals to the flood-affected,” he added.
As many as 11 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 30 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams have been deployed to assist the administration in rescue and relief operations, he said.
Further, the defence ministry has been requested to keep two choppers on stand-by for airdropping and rescue operation if required, he added.
Although the Baitarani river is flowing below the danger level at Anandpur in Keonjhar district, it is above the danger mark at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district.
Fortunately, all the other major rivers in the state are flowing below the danger level, he said.
Authorities have opened 40 gates of the Hirakud dam on the Mahanadi river in Sambalpur district after heavy rain in the upper catchment area.
The released water in the Mahanadi is likely to pass the delta head Mundali in Cuttack on Wednesday midnight and it will take another 12-24 hours to reach other areas downstream, the official said.
As a result, threat of fresh floods looms over several coastal districts, including Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur.
The state government is vigilant and prepared to tide over the situation, he added.
The Mahanadi river at Naraj in Cuttack district was flowing at 26.74 metres at 6 p.m. against the danger level of 26.41 metres and chances are the level will go up further.
Tags: 1 million marooned as Odhisa floods worsen, Blog News
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