Bhawanipatna: Incessant rain over the last 24 hours disrupted normal life in areas under Thuamul-Rampur, Jayapatna and Kalampur blocks of Kalahandi district as the season’s first floodwater flowed on Hati river bridge and on National Highway-26 near Junagarh Sunday.
Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded on the highway. While two and four wheelers were diverted and allowed to ply on the new bridge for the first time, heavy vehicles were not allowed.
Dharmagarh sub-collector Y Bijay visited the spot in the afternoon and took stock of the situation. The incident has pushed farmers living on Hati riverbank to distress as the floodwaters submerged their farmlands.
Reports available from the district emergency office said the district recorded 758 mm of rainfall from 8 am Saturday and till 8 am Sunday.
T Rampur block recorded the highest rainfall of 260 mm while Jayapatna block recorded 110 mm of rainfall during the period.
Heavy rainfall in the catchment area of Indravati reservoir in T Rampur block has led to the rise in water-level in the reservoir.
A man named Santosh Bag of Chulabhadi village under Talangpadar panchayat in T Rampur block went missing after floodwater entered the village.
All communication between the remote areas of Lanjigarh block and Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada district were disrupted due to the rise in floodwaters in river Kalyani while communication from T Rampur to Kashipur and Bhawanipatna also stood disrupted.
Collector Anjan Kumar Manik asked BDOs to remain alert and evacuate people and livestock from low-lying areas to safer places. PNN
