Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday asked Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra and the Ganjam district administration to take immediate measures on war footing to evacuate marooned people from vulnerable areas to safer places and provide them cooked food till the situation improves.
Patnaik was reviewing the flood situation in south Odisha, particularly in Ganjam district, in which Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surjya Narayan Patro, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Pratap Keshari Deb, Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mahapatra, Development Commissioner I Srinivas, Director of Bhubaneswar Met Office Sarat Kumar Sahu and Secretaries of various Departments were present.
Minister Patro said the torrential rains have resulted in waterlogging in many villages and towns. The downpours have also hampered rehabilitation works in the areas affected by the Phailin and subsequent flooding.
As a trough line due to low pressure lay over west and north Odisha, waters in the Mahanadi river system and rivers of north Odisha including Baitarani, Subarnarekha and Bhudhabalang are likely to cross the danger mark, District Collectors were alerted against floods. Due to rains for the last four days, there might be floods in Gajapati and Kandhamal districts, sources said.