Odisha floods: 1.5 lakh affected in Puri district, 68 villages amid floodwater

PURI/BERHAMPUR:  The life of around 1.5 lakh people from 201 villages under 55 gram panchayats in Puri district has been thrown out of gear for past few days as they remain surrounded by flood water. Mostly belonging to Gop, Nimapara, Delang, Kanas, Astarang, Pipili and Puri Sadar, most of which continue to remain inundated on Friday, residents are seen taking refuge on roads and river embankments without food and water.

However, sources said, water has started receding and by Friday 68 villages remained inundated. 
“We have been taking refuge on roads and river embankments without food or drinking water as we are yet to get any government relief,” said a resident of Davar village, Raghu Pradhan. With Talada and Nagar hamlets in Astaranga and many villages of Kanak block continuing to be surrounded by flood water, schools in these areas have been closed for the next two days. 

“Over 12,000 people have been shifted to safer locations on Friday and 20 boats were provided to them for communication,” informed Additional district magistrate PK Sahu. Thirty-eight free kitchens ran till Thursday, but the number has come down to 19 on Friday, he added. Apart from drinking water, sugar, rice, flattened rice, jaggery and polythene sheets, the flood-affected people have also been provided with cattle feed, Sahu informed. Healthcare teams and vets are stationed in affected areas, he stressed.

According to sources, water levels in Daya, Bhargavi, Makara, Malaguni, Rajua and Kushabhadra rivers have been flowing close to danger levels owing to a breach on Kusabhadra embankment that has snapped road communication from Sholapur to Ganeswarpur, Subarnpur to Gabakund and Gop to Balighai. Rahangoroda Gram panchayat under Gop block has reportedly been worst-hit.  

On the other hand, in Phulbani, incessant rains caused a landslide at Malaguda ghat in Raikia block on Friday disconnecting four panchayats Karada, Indragada, Ranaba, Badabaraba from their mainland.