Flood situation grim

Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, Sept. 25: The flood situation continued to be grim in Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts with lakhs of people being affected and vast stretch of agricultural land inundated. Road communication has been disrupted at various places.
The major rivers like Baitarani, Budhabalanga and Jalaka showed a receding trend today, while the Subarnarekha flowed above the danger level.
The chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik today instructed the collectors of the flood-affected areas to provide relief materials, health service and undertake a massive operation to disinfect drinking water sources.
He made an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore.
Heavy downpour due to depression over the Bay of Bengal over the last four days had caused flood and inundated vast areas in these districts.
The Baitarani has affected 3 lakh people in Dhamnagar, Bhandaripokhari, Tihidi and the Chandabali blocks. People of Bhadrak town too has experienced floods as the Salandi river crossed over the danger mark, following the discharge of water from the Hadgarh reservoir.
As many as 451 villages of 93 gram panchayats have become marooned since the past two days.. Communication to Akhandalamani Dham has been cut off, as the flood water is flowing at the height of there-four feet near Kothar Bazar.
The Bhadrak-Chandabali road was also under flood water at Nalugunada and Nanndapur. The revenue minister Mr Manmohan Samal reviewed the situation today.
He declared three days relief for the affected people and setting up of 11 free kitchens at Dhamnagar Block.
Water discharged from the Hadgarh reservoir submerged the low lying areas of Bhadrak town. According to the irrigation officials, the water level at the reservoir crossed maximum limit. The water at the reservoir had crossed its highest retention level of 82.50 mt and had to be released. Presently the reservoir is discharging 9,000 cusec of water.
People residing in the low lying areas of the Bhadrak town were asked to shift to safer places. More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from the low lying areas of the town, said Mr Sasadhar Nayak, municipality executive officer. These people were accommodated at the Women’s college and the Dhanatola school where free kitchen centres have been opened.
Although rivers like Jalaka and Kansabansha are receding, the flood situation continued to be grim in the district .
The Subarnarekha, the cause of worries for north Balasore was above the danger mark. However, sources at the district emergency office claimed that the river has been constant since 4 pm till 8 pm
Official sources said that nearly 7 lakh people of 129 GPs and 933 villages of Sadar, Remuna, Soro, Simulia, Bhanga, Nilgiri and Khair blocks have been affected.
Unconfirmed reports said that four people have died in the recent floods.
While there have been allegations of non-receipt of relief from various blocks, a protest was staged by the irate villagers in the demand of relief materials on NH-60.
Nearly 1.15 lakhs hectares of cultivated areas have been submerged due to water logging .
The official sources said that 16 country boats and six power boats have been pressed in for providing service and relief materials have been sent to the various affected villages .
In Jajpur, the worst affected areas are Bari, Jajpur, Korei and Dasarathapur blocks.
While the Baitarani river is receding, the Brahmani and the Kharasrota rivers are still flowing above their respective danger levels, said the official sources.
According to them nearly 1.5 lakh people in 83 villages under 36 gram panchayats have been marooned .

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