Indravati in spate, Koraput areas cut off

JEYPORE:  Opening of three gates of Indravati dam has aggravated the flood situation in Koraput district. With Indravati river and its tributaries in spate, 1,300 families of 15 blocks of Kotpad block have been asked to move to safer places. The low pressure induced rains have played havoc in different blocks of the district which recorded 110 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Koraput district has been witnessing heavy rain for the last five days. Vehicular communication has been affected.

As rain water gushed in from hilly terrains, roads were damaged in Laxmipur, Narayanpatana, Bandhugam, Dasmantpur, Semiliguda, Boipariguda, Kundra, Nandapur, Potangi and Lamtaput blocks. Many panchayats were cut off from the mainstream as flood water was flowing over village roads and culverts on Thursday. Passengers were stranded at bus stands in Koraput, Jeypore, Kotpad and Borigumma as bus movement was suspended for the second consecutive day on Thursday.

Trucks too were stranded on NH- 26 due to the inclement weather. Vehicular communication to Chhattisgarh has also been hit due to rise in water level of Jahara river near Kotpad and Saptadhara river near Boipariguda. Sources said flood situation has aggravated in Borigumma and Kotpad blocks with the Indravati river flowing at 641 metres against the red mark of 642 metres. Koraput Collector K S Chakravarti reviewed the flood situation in the district and directed the officials concerned to rush to sensitive pockets immediately and make necessary arrangements for relief and rescue operations.

Kotpad block officials have advised villagers staying close to the banks of Indravati to shift to safer places. Official sources said 500 mm rainfall has been recorded in the district in the last five days. As many as 2,000 houses have been damaged in both urban and rural areas of the district. The exact loss of property will be ascertained after rains stop, said district administration sources.