Samikhsya Bureau
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the heavy rain and flash Flood situation in Odisha and announced seven days relief for the flood hit people.
Patnaik interacted with the concerned collectors through video conference and enquired about their requirements. He alerted the collectors of khurdha, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh and Kendrapara and advised them to strengthen river bank patrolling.
Official sources said, seven days gratuitous relief will be provided to the affected people of Kalahandi, Boudh, Kandhamal, Sonepur and Balangir @Rs 60 per adult per day and Rs 45 per child per day. These districts have been affected by recent heavy rainfall and consequent flooding.
Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi today asked the collectors of 11 districts to be ready to meet any eventuality following heavy rain in the upper catchment of river Mahanadi and release of water from Hirakud dam.
The SRC directed the collectors of Bolangir, Boudh, Subarnapur, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Angul, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Jajpur to take necessary steps to counter the possible flood situation.
The collectors were asked to keep the shelter homes, dry food, drinking water and boats ready for the affected people. Sethi said, as many as 15 ODRAF teams and three NDRF teams have been rushed to districts affected by incessant rain and flood to help in the rescue and relief operations.
The SRC said, over 44,000 people have been evacuated and more than two lakh people affected by rain and flood like situation in Bolangir, Boudh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Subarnapur, Baragarh and Kandhamal districts.
Mr Sethi said, 134 villages in 19 blocks and six urban local bodies are also affected by the rain and flood. As many as 124 free kitchens were opened to provide cooked food to the affected people. Odisha had received an average rainfall of 100 MM during the last 24 hours. Bolangir and Bargarh districts received maximum rainfall of 145 MM and 112.5 MM rainfall during the last 24 hours.
Bolangir block received a record 555 mm of rain, followed by Puintala (333 MM) and Deogaon (238) MM of rain. As many 17 more blocks have recorded a rainfall of 100 MM and above.
Sethi said, rain has stopped in Bolangir, Boudh and Kandhamal since yesterday but intermittent rain was observed only in M Rampur blocks of Kalahandi, and drizzling at some places in Kandhamal.
Water has receded and the Manamuda-Kantamal road in Boudh district and the NH 57 connecting Sonepur to Tarva in Subarnapur district submerged last night were cleared today. The SRC said, relief operation and restoration work is in progress at NH 59 near Baliguda and Tumudibandh.
With UNI inputs
