The flood situation in parts of the State began improving on Thursday due to a decrease in rainfall.
The water levels in several rivers in Malkangiri district were receding while floodwater flowing over many roads and bridges in the district also came down.
Despite the improvement in the situation, many areas of the district continued to remain cut off. In view of the situation, the administration closed all the schools in the district on the day. More than 4,000 people residing in low-lying areas were evacuated and shifted to safer places by the district administration.
In Rayagada, the amount of rainfall considerably decreased leading the floodwater to recede in Bansadhara and Nagabali rivers.
Water level was also falling in the inundated areas due to overflow of the Bansadhara river.
The Rayagada district administration also evacuated over 2,000 people and shifted them to temporary relief camps where they were provided free cooked food.
The water level in Hati and other rivers in Kalahandi district were also receding. Several areas of Lanjigarh and Thuamul Rampur blocks were marooned after incessant rainfall on Wednesday forcing the administration to open five gates of the Indravati reservoir.
Despite improvement in the situation, train services were hit on Daikalu-Ambadola section as rainwater washed away around 100 metres of railway track between Rayagada and Titlagarh railway stations on Wednesday resulting in cancellation, diversion and rescheduling of many trains on the route.
Due to torrential rains since the last couple of days, cultivation in around 50 acres of agricultural land was damaged after a landslide at Maranijodi Hill in Kashipur block of Rayagada district.
A temporary culvert near Bataguda on NH 59 in Baliguda block of Kandhamal district was washed away disrupting vehicular communications from Kandhamal to Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
A two-month-old infant died while his mother and three-year-old girl sustained grievous injuries after a wall of their house collapsed under the impact of heavy rain in Angul district. The mishap occurred when five members of a family were sleeping inside the house at Helei village under Kiakata panchayat in the wee hours of Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Regional Office of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said the deep depression over north-west Bay of Bengal has weakened and now moved towards north-east Chhattisgarh.
Revenue Minister Sudam Marandi said seven districts, including Koraput, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Gajapati, Nabarangpur and Rayagada have been worst affected due to incessant rain causing flash flood in the last 24 hours. But the situation has improved in districts like Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput and Kalahandi.