Shivraj Patil to visit flood-hit areas of Orissa tomorrow

New Delhi (PTI): With floods in Orissa affecting millions of people, Home Minister Shivraj Patil will undertake a visit to the state on Tuesday to take stock of the situation in the worst-hit areas.

Patil, who will undertake an aerial survey of the flood-hit districts of Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Jajpur, will review the relief operation at a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The Home Minister will be accompanied by Union Minister of State Chandra Sekhar Sahu and Secretary (Border Management) in the Home Ministry, besides some senior officials of the ministry.

Nearly 2,000 villages have been left marooned due to the flood, sources said, adding that the highest number of 645 such villages are located in Puri district, followed by 473 in Cuttack and 421 in Kendrapara.