Nearly three lakh people were affected in Jajpur district as incessant rains over the last two days caused flood in river Brahmani and its tributaries, which were flowing above the danger mark.
The river breached at Bankasahi under Bari block on Saturday for which many villages were marooned. The flood situation in the Bari block worsened as heavy downpour continued.
The flash flood affected large areas of the riverside villages under Jajpur, Korei, Dharmasala , Danagadi and Dasarathpur blocks. The affected villages are Katikata, Dasarathpur, Malikapur, Sisua, mangalpur, Kasapa, Dudaraanta, Chanchina, Kanikapada, Tarapada, Gipalpur, Nizampur, Duttapur, Khannagar, Kaya and Kamaradiha.
The flood affected villages were ferried on rickety country boats to reach the mainland.
“We have deployed 56 boats to rescue the people. The people living in low-lying areas along the banks of the rivers were evacuated to safer locations,” said district Collector Ranjan Das.