Trapped for hours, rescued by IAF, Orissa victims recall ordeal
September 22nd, 2008 - 3:55 pm ICT by IANS

Kendrapada (Orissa), Sep 22 (IANS) Two men in their 60s were trapped on the roof of a building in a flood-hit Orissa village for 12 hours until an Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper came to their help. They recount their ordeal with horror and can’t stop thanking the defence personnel. “If it was not for the Indian Air Force’s helicopter, no one would have even tried to come to our rescue,” said 65-year-old Sadananda Sahoo, recalling his ordeal.

The Luna river breached an embankment at Jagannathpur village in the worst-hit Kendrapada district, some 150 km from state capital Bhubaneswar Friday night, leaving around 2,000 villagers marooned.

Most of them managed to flee to safer places and highways, but at least 18 people were stranded on the first floor of a building surrounded by floodwaters.