Flood-like situation improves, but IMD warns of more rain from today
Bhubaneswar/Koraput/Kendrapada: The flood-like situation seen in parts of the state on Sunday showed signs of improvement as rain eased on Monday.
Chief secretary Asit Tripathi reviewed the situation on Monday and said collectors of 10 districts had been asked to submit rain damage report. “Except Malkangiri, the situation in other districts is normal now,” he said.
Revenue minister Sudam Marandi said the government would assess the damage in the districts and provide assistance once the collectors submitted their reports.
Communication between Malkangiri district and the state capital was restored on Monday after water receded from the NH-326 near Pangam. However, several other roads and low-lying bridges remain inundated.
Malkangiri town’s communication with Kalimela and Motu along the NH-326 remains affected with water flowing over bridges at Kangurukonda and Kanyashram respectively. “The situation is improving. The water is taking time to recede to the Godavari, so parts of Motu tehsil remain inundated,” said collector (Malkangiri) Manish Agarwal.
Agarwal said some people who had gotten stranded on the NH-326 were rescued and given food on Monday. “Fire services personnel are clearing the highway. If required, people staying in low-lying areas will be evacuated,” he said.
A number of places in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada and Jajpur districts are also waterlogged. Waterlogging was reported from Paradip, Kendrapada town and Jajpur town.
“The Chandikhola and Balichandrapur markets in Jajpur district have turned into pools. Pedestrians braved knee-deep water on the roads,” said Pradip Prusti of Balichandrapur.
Water filled hundreds of houses and government offices in Chadikhola. Scores of vehicles were seen submerged in front of the road transport office there. Many thatched houses have collapsed in Patarajpur, Sunguda, Palei, Achutabasant, and Anaka GPs in Barachana block in Jajpur.
In Paradip, slum dwellers were the worst affected. “We found our huts under water and had to take shelter in a nearby building,” said Bijaya Mandal of Sandhakuda slum in Paradip. Locals of Musadiha, Dalesahi, Balisahi, Lokanathapada and Joribala areas near the port also struggled with waterlogging.
In Kendrapada town, the area in front of the tehsil office was under water. Locals of Kansara, Bagada, Kalapada, Angulei and other villages under Kendrapada block have been forced to live under virtual house arrest as the roads have turned into slush.
Debaprasad Bal, executive officer of Kendrapara municipality, said “We are clearing drains to ensure there is no waterlogging. Pumping of rainwater from residential areas is on.”
Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted more rain for the state from Tuesday because of a fresh low pressure over the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday. Director of the IMD’s regional centre in Bhubaneswar, H R Biswas, said most places in north Odisha would get rainfall for 2-3 days from Tuesday. The IMD has forecast light to moderate rain or thunder showers in many places over north Odisha and some places over south Odisha on Tuesday.