Low pressure weakens, restoration work on: Special Relief Commissioner

BHUBANESWAR: The low pressure formed over the Bay of Bengal weakened on Thursday after pounding several districts of the State for the last two days and claiming six lives.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupad Sethi said incessant rain affected 48 blocks in the districts of Kalahandi, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Boudh.

Heavy showers that triggered flash flood in the affected districts inundated several villages and claimed one life in Kalahandi and two in Koraput. Three drowning death were also reported from Rayagada district where many low-lying areas remained water-logged.

Giving details, the SRC office said 80 villages were severely affected of which 21 were marooned affecting 10,000 lives in Kalahandi district. Nearly 704 people were evacuated and provided food from free kitchen in nine centres in the district. In Koraput, 453 houses were damaged and administration evacuated 2560 people. Similarly, rain affected 42 villages in seven blocks of Malkangiri district while the situation in Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Kandhamal and Boudh also remained grim, though officials said it is improving fast.

“Officials and staff in the affected districts are on high-alert,” SRC sources said, adding, “restoration work is on in these areas.” Meanwhile, Met department officials said, “The depression over coastal Odisha and neighbourhood has moved westwards and now lies over south Chhattisgarh and adjoining Vidarbha.”