Odisha evacuates over 8,000 as heavy rain disrupts roads, trains

Bhubaneswar/Koraput/Malkangiri, Sep 24 (PTI) Parts of Odisha were lashed by heavy rain under the influence of a deep depression that made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, prompting the state government to evacuate people from low-lying and landslide-prone areas, officials said.

The state reported landslides, waterlogging, uprooting of trees and house damage, while rainwater flowing over roads disrupted communication in several areas.

Train services in the Rayagada Division of East Coast Railway have been affected due to landslides between Maligura and Chhatariput stations.

As a precaution and to facilitate restoration work in the affected section, four trains have been cancelled, while some services have been short-terminated or short-originated.

Amid fears of floods and landslides in southern districts, the state government deputed two senior ministers -- Rabi Narayan Naik (Panchayati Raj) and Gokulananda Mallik (Fisheries) -- to Koraput and Gajapati districts, respectively, to oversee relief and preparedness.

As reports of inundation poured in, two more ministers -- Bibhuti Bhusan Jena (Transport) and Nityananda Gond (School and Mass Education) -- were asked to visit Ganjam and Nabarangpur districts, respectively, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.

Four senior officers were also rushed to the affected districts to assist relief operations and assess the damage, he said.

With rains disrupting normal life in southern Odisha, authorities in several worst-hit districts extended the closure of schools by another day on Friday.

Educational institutions, including those in Khurda, have remained closed for two days.

Pujari said the deep depression-induced rains had affected six districts -- Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur.

Keeping in view Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi's direction to ensure "zero casualty", Pujari said, "We have evacuated 8,082 people by noon, and the process is continuing. District collectors have been asked to shift people from vulnerable waterlogged areas."

The evacuated people were housed in 203 relief camps, while the government had received reports of 73 houses being damaged in different districts.

Rainwater had affected 273 villages in the six districts, Pujari said, adding that there was no report of any injury or casualty so far.

According to the IMD, a deep depression is a weather system more intense than a depression but weaker than a cyclonic storm.

An average of 70 mm of rainfall was recorded in the state in the 24 hours till 8.30 am on Thursday, with Semiliguda in Koraput district receiving the highest at 193.9 mm, IMD sources said.

At least 17 places across the state recorded more than 100 mm of rainfall.

The weather office issued a red alert, asking authorities to "take action", and forecast more than 20 cm of rainfall in Nabarangpur district.

Six districts -- Bargarh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri -- were placed under an orange alert, with 12-20 cm of rainfall forecast over the next 24 hours.

A yellow alert was issued for nine districts -- Balasore, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Kandhamal and Rayagada -- for the possibility of 7-11 cm of rainfall.

The Water Resources Department said officials had intensified night patrolling and field-level vigilance at strategic locations across the state.

Engineering officers and field staff were maintaining a close watch on critical water infrastructure, with water levels in the Jalaka and Budhabalang rivers in Balasore district rising.

The IMD said squally weather would prevail along coastal areas, with winds gusting up to 70 kmph, and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till Friday morning.

Meanwhile, in Malkangiri, 4-5 feet of rainwater was flowing over four low-level bridges -- Poteru, Kangurukonda, Kanyashram and MV-90 -- on National Highway 326.

Vehicular movement on the Malkangiri-Motu highway was completely stopped, while communication to Kalimela, Motu and Padia blocks was cut off. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the bridges.

The bridge on the Malkangiri-Chhattisgarh road was also submerged. Water levels in the Balimela, Satiguda and Jalaput reservoirs had risen, while the Balimela-Chitrakonda ghat road was closed due to heavy water flow in an upper nala and the risk of landslides, officials said.

The Kalinga Ghat connecting Ganjam with Kandhamal also reported three major landslides, forcing the administration to close the road.

"The landslide has damaged the guard wall of the ghat road. Therefore, the road is closed for an indefinite period," Kandhamal Collector Vedbhusan said.

Though Koraput received heavy rain in the last 24 hours, officials said there was no major damage or disruption to traffic in the district.

Roadside trees were uprooted at several places in Borigumma, Narayanpatna and Pottangi, with fire personnel and ODRAF teams engaged in clearing the roads.

"Presently, the situation is under control, and officials are on high alert to prevent any untoward incident. Traffic movement has not been affected in any part of the district," Koraput Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan said.