Thuamul Rampur(Kalahandi): Heavy rain in Odisha’s Kalahandi district has disrupted normal life in Thuamul Rampur block, with the area recording 345 mm of rainfall as the Indravati River swelled and floodwaters disrupted road connectivity, sources said Sunday.
The incessant rain, which began Friday night, triggered flooding at several locations and caused extensive damage. Floodwaters around 5 feet deep were flowing over bridges on the Indravati River near Kumbharkhani-Dumerpadar and Sana Derala-Bada Derala from early Sunday, cutting off road connectivity between Thuamul Rampur and Kashipur blocks, the sources added.
More than 60 vehicles, including buses, operating on the Gopinathpur-Bhawanipatna route remained stranded on both sides of the road for about seven hours, the source informed.
An ambulance was also stranded in the floodwaters. A pregnant woman in critical condition had to be taken to the Thuamul Rampur medical facility through a longer and more hazardous route after the ambulance could not cross the flooded stretch, the source said.
On being alerted, Thuamul Rampur police and fire personnel reached the spot and tightened security measures. People were advised against attempting to cross the flooded route until the water level receded. Traffic gradually returned to normal after the floodwaters subsided, the source said.
Several other rivers and streams, including those near Dholpas-Mahulpatna, the Gadbeda River near Dholpas, Nikeshjor and the Nagavali River near Karnibel, have also swollen following the heavy rain, the source added.
The source further informed that several houses have reportedly collapsed in different areas, while hundreds of acres of farmland have been inundated, raising concerns over extensive crop and property damage.
Road connectivity on key routes linking Kashipur, Thuamul Rampur, Gopinathpur, Lanjigarh, Bhatiphas and Bhawanipatna has also been affected. Local residents and passengers returning from Nabarangpur and adjoining areas have faced significant difficulties due to the disruption, the source informed.
PNN
