According to government reports, three people have so far died in the flood
Women at Sathia Tikiri village in Jajpur district carry home drinking water collected from a tube-well during floods. (Photo: DC)
Bhubaneswar: Flood situation in Odisha improved slightly on Friday as water levels in the major rivers came down below their danger marks, even as 10 lakh people were reportedly hit in the calamity. According to government reports, three people have so far died in the flood.
Water resources secretary Pradip Kumar Jena, who on Friday visited various parts of the flood-hit districts, said floodwaters had receded in most parts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Keonjhar and Jajpur districts while the water level in Baitarani, Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga and Jalaka rivers are flowing below the dander mark. He said his department had completed the repair work of all breached embankments in two days.
Mr Jena said collectors and superintendents of police of these districts were asked to stay on high alert since the Met office had predicted heavy rainfall in the North Odisha districts in the next 24 hours under the influence of a deep depression which is now 360 km off the Balasore coast. Reports reaching here, however, said the flood situation in Jajpur and Balasore districts still remains grim.
In Jajpur district, more than 100 villages were affected as the floodwater of Baitarani and its tributaries has entered these villages. Besides, crops in about 10,000 hectares of agricultural land had been damaged.
Thousands of people in Jajpur and Dasarathpur blocks were affected following two breaches while more than 4000 people of Sathia Tikiri village of Simulia panchayat had been surrounded by floodwaters for four days.
In Balasore district, people of more than 100 villages were hit by flood. Besides, there had been massive crop damage in these areas. More than 32,000 people in about 115 villages under Jaleswar, Bhoga-rai, Baliapal and Basta blocks have been badly affected while floodwater has surrounded 60 villages. Reports from Bhadrak district said people of 150 villages had been affected by flood. Several villages under Chandbali block have been affected following a 20-feet breach at Dohara.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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