Fire Service Personnel Rescue Newborn and 5 Others over Gushing Waters in Rain-battered Odisha

Odisha has been lashed by incessant rainfall for the past couple of days amid low-pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal. The Meteorological department had predicted heavy rains and squally winds along the coast.

Heavy rains triggered flooding and water logging at several places in the state with many rivers and waterbodies in spate. People had to be evacuated in many places. In one such incident, fire services personnel of the Bari Fire Station rescued six people, including a new born from a flooded village in Jajpur.

The video shows the fire service personnel clinging a rope over the gushing waters as they helped the people to safety and sent them to a safe place in a boat. The video was shared by the news agency ANI.

There is a flood situation in Bhadrak and Keonjhar districts and several belts in Jajpur, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada districts.

While low-lying areas including paddy fields have been submerged and road links were snapped at several places, at least three people died in rain-related incidents. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi informed that two persons in Mayurbhanj district and one in Keonjhar district died due to rain-related incidents. The district administrations have evacuated people from low-lying areas to safer places.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena said a medium-level flood is expected in three major rivers of Odisha. "A low to medium-level flood is expected in Bramhani, Baitarani and Subarnarekha river system. While all the officials have been put on alert, precautionary measures have been taken to deal with the situation," Jena said.

Meanwhile, a flood like situation may arise in the Mahanadi River as the Met department predicted heavy rainfall in the upper catchment area in the next 24 hours.