The State Government on Friday deployed Air Force, Navy, NDRF and ODRAF teams in search, rescue and relief operations and ordered closer of the schools and colleges in the 13 affected districts till October 28 to facilitate the distressed people to use the buildings as shelter and relief camps as the flood situation turned “grim”.
Ten more deaths were reported from different parts of the State on Friday due to rains and the resultant floods taking the death in both cyclone and the resultant floods to 54.
The death toll due to wall collapse and floods in four districts of Mayrubhanj, Baleswar, Bhadrak and Jajpur was recorded at 23, sources said, adding six deaths were reported from Ganjam including four from drowning and two due to wall collapse. While four members of a family died of wall collapse in Jagatsinghpur on Thursday.
The two of the three Air Force helicopters and 12 NDRF teams have been deployed in search, rescue and relief operations in Ganjam district, the worst-hit in the current floods. Around two lakh population in 22 blocks of the district were marooned due to floods, said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surjya Narayan Patro.
He said that bad weather was creating impediments in distribution of relief materials in the marooned areas.
However, during the last 24 hours as many as 95,800 people were evacuated to safer places and given relief in Ganjam, Patro said.
Flood situation is the worst in Seragarah, Digapahandi, Aska, Dharakot, Seragarah, Rangelunda, Hinjili, Polsara, Purusottampur, Sorada and Belaguntha blocks as road connectivity have been disrupted and lakhs of houses were damaged, he said, adding similar situation prevailed in Gajapati district.
Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra praised the NDRF for rescuing nine persons in Hinjilicut. “NDRF team has showed exceptional courage in rescuing nine persons who were on tree top due to the floods on Thursday night,” he said.
Although 13 districts have been affected by the incessant rains for the past three to four days, seven districts of Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Cuttack, Khurda, Kendrapada, Gajapati and Nayagarah bore the brunt of heavy downpours during the last 24 hours.
During the last 24 hours, Kendrapada recorded highest rainfall of 159 mm followed by 159 mm in Nayagarah, 134.1 mm in Jagatsinghpur, 129 mm in Khurdha, 123.5 mm in Jajpur and 103.6 mm in Cuttack.
An estimated 5.32 lakh population was affected in around 2,278 villages spread over 45 blocks of the 13 districts and 1.42 lakh people were evacuated during the last 48 hours, sources said.
Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner PK Mohapatra said that there was no apprehension of floods in north Odisha as there was no heavy rains occurred in the catchment areas of the major rivers including Subarnarekha, Baitarani, Brahmani and Budhabalanga.
Since the Central team is visiting the State on October 28 to assess the losses caused due to the twin natural calamities, the Government has started the process of preparing a supplementary memorandum on the damages to be submitted to the team, Mohapatra said.