State Home Secretary VK Saxena was surprised on October 13 when he came to know that Baripada town was under 20-feet floodwater. Way back in 1972, this Mayurbhanj district headquarters town had faced a similar situation due to heavy floods in river Budhabalang.
Saxena talked to ADG, Fire Services, M Nageswar Rao. Both of them planned out an operation, following which Officer-in-Charge of Baripada Fire Station Bhabendra Nath Dey rushed to the rescue of the people of the inundated town areas like Station Bazar, Madhuban, Baruni Road, Chikirpal, Joda and Astia.
Firemen started rescuing people by means of powerboats immediately available with them. ADG Rao pressed into service another 12 powerboats from nearby Fire Stations of Baleswar, Bhadrak and Jajpur. At least 1,500 people were rescued. Now with the rescue operations on in the flood-hit Baleswar, Bhadrak and Jajpur, the powerboats have been deployed in these districts.