Situation grim, rivers in spate
Tuesday September 25 2007 02:22 IST

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

JAJPUR: The situation continued to be grim in Jajpur district on Monday as the rivers Baitarani, Brahmani and Kharasrota were flowing above the danger mark affecting over 1.5 lakh people in Jajpur, Bari, Korei, Rasulpur and Dasarathpur blocks.

As many as 83 villages under 35 gram panchayats in the four blocks of the district are still marooned for the last two days. A woman was reportedly swept away in Chandanpur of Bari block on Monday. With this, the toll in the present floods has gone up to two.

Meanwhile, Bari block headquarters has been cut off from the panchayat headquarters since Sunday as the flood water is flowing at a height of at least four-five feet on most of the roads. Traffic movement has been disrupted on the Jajpur-Bauruan, Singhpur- Rajkanika, Bari-Kuakhia, Jajpur- Panasa, Bari-Ratnagiri and Golkund- Indipur roads since Sunday.

While hundreds of thatched houses have collapsed, paddy crop in more than 40,000 hectares of land in the five blocks has been damaged.

According to sources in the district flood control room, the Brahmani river is flowing at 68 feet against the red mark of 67 feet at Jenapur. Similarly, Baitarani is flowing at 19.29 metres against the danger level of 17.83 metres at Akhuapada. Kharasrota is also flowing at 19.60 metre against its danger mark of 18.20 metres at Binjharpur. The water level in Baitarani is expected to rise.

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