Besides damaging houses and properties in Balangir, the unprecedented rains on August 12 and 13 also destroyed forests on 18.61 acres of land and eroded soil in mountains in the district.
The flow of rainwater was at such a speed that it created nullahs on soft points of mountains in the Mathkhai Forest Range.
Notably, journalist Sudhir Mishra prepared a video damages made to forests and mountains. Following this, the Forest Department conducted a survey and assessed the damages.
According to the report of the department, forests on a total of 18.61 hectares of land were damaged. Reserve forests of Mathkhai, Bhimdunguri, Chandali and Kharsel under the Balangir Forest Range area were damanged. Mountains also suffered heavy soil erosion.
“We will undertake plantation to compensate loss of trees and to save forestland from being eroded further,” said DFO Sameer Satpathy.