Bhubaneswar/Koraput/Malkangiri: The state government Tuesday pressed into service a Coast Guard aircraft to assess the situation in two villages near Niyamgiri hills which were cut off due to flash floods caused by incessant rains, even as the condition slightly improved in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
A Dornier aircraft of the Coast Guard is engaged in Niyamgiri hills area where some Dongria Kondh tribals are marooned due to floods in river Kalyani, special relief commissioner BP Sethi said.
“The aircraft is being used to drop food materials in the area. So far, 4.2 quintals of dry food has been dropped in the affected area of Niyamgiri hills,” the SRC said.
He said at least 4,000 Dongria Kondh indigenous people residing in the villages of Niyamgiri hills were marooned as a bridge across river Kalyani was washed away due to the floods.
Around 2,000 people of other communities also live on the other side of the river and all of them are inaccessible, Sethi added.
Meanwhile, the flood situation “slightly improved” in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts with the water level receding “to a large extent”, the SRC said.
There was no heavy rainfall in the two districts since last night following which the administration has geared up relief operation with the help of NGOs, he said.
Sethi said free kitchens have been opened at many places to provide cooked food to the people.
About the situation in Rayagada, the SRC said as many as 28,000 people living in 70 villages of Rayagada and Kalyansinghpur blocks have been affected by the floods, which also left five people injured in incidents of wall collapse.
Three villages — Jilinda, Budaguda and Majhiguda — remained marooned even two days after the flood hit Rayagada district, Sethi said.
Five bridges, including two railway bridges, have been washed away in flood water and four roads have been damaged. The teams of ODRAF, firemen and CRPF are engaged in rescue and relief operation.
Also, 28,517 people in 132 villages under seven blocks have been affected in Kalahandi where two persons died. While one of them died after drowning, landslide claimed another’s life.
Apart from Rayagada, a large number of people of the three other districts of undivided Koraput were also found in miserable state Tuesday due to incessant rains over the past three days.
Hundreds of houses in 14 blocks in low lying regions of Koraput district have reportedly collapsed leaving over 1,000 people without shelter.
The worst affected blocks were Jeypore, Lamtaput, Dasamantapur, Borigumma, Kotpad, Nandapur, Semiliguda and Laxmipur. Several roads got washed away while floodwaters entered many houses. Private schools remained closed and traders downed their shutters as life was thrown out of gear due to nonstop rain.
Jeypore block recorded the highest 119 mm rainfall during the day.
The district received 919 mm of rain Tuesday while it recorded 746 mm and 504 mm of rain respectively during last two days.
On the other hand, Malkangiri district received 312.4 mm of rainfall in past 24 hours. About 2-ft high water was flowing on the main road near Kalimela Kanyashram while plying of vehicles was suspended from Motu and Kalimela to the district headquarters. Hundreds of passengers were found stranded at both sides.
All revenue inspectors and tehsildars have been put on alert and the administration has kept a vigil on the flood situation, additional district magistrate Raghumani Gamang said.
Meanwhile, people of several areas under Chandahandi block in Nabarangpur district are in panic as water level was on the rise in rivers Tel and Bhandar. Roads in several rural pockets were found in bad shape preventing ambulances to reach villages. The administration is prepared to face emergency situation, BDO Tapas Kumar Bhoi said after having a look at floodwater in Tel. PNN
