Rayagada/Bhawanipatna: Incessant rain wreaked havoc in Kalahandi, Rayagada and Ganjam districts where several villages have been cut-off due to submergence of roads and washing away of bridges.
Heavy rain continued to lash Kalahandi district for the third consecutive day Monday, affecting normal life. The water level in river Hati and river Tel is rising steadily but remains below the danger mark, officials said adding rain water inundated many places in Dharmagarh and Junagarh areas of the district. As per reports, many low-lying areas in Bhawanipatna were inundated. Moreover, about 15 villages of Lanjigarh block were cut-off from the rest of the world due to flood in Hati and Tel rivers.
All communication to various locations in the state was disrupted after two diversion roads near an under-construction bridge on National Highway-59 in M Rampur block of the district was washed away Sunday night. The bridge is constructed over a nullah on the highway for which the consultancy agency has opened two diversion roads to allow passage of vehicles.
As a result, road communication from M Rampur to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Nayagarh, Kandhamal and Puri districts were disrupted on the Raipur-Gopalpur highway.
Passenger bus services and plying of commercial vehicles to Bhawanipatna, Umerkote, Lanjigarh, Dharmagarh, Mukhiguda, Bolangir and Bolangir districts were also disrupted. The area witnessed 189 mm rainfall from July 14 night till Monday with floodwaters seen overflowing in Rahil, Utei, Buda, Chauladhua rivers.
In Rayagada district, rainwater has submerged many villages in Bissamkatak and Paikadakuluguda areas, while the water level in river Bansadhara is rising.
More than 30 villages under Bissamkatak block were marooned. A culvert on the Gunupur-Gumuda road under Serma area was washed away. Similar was the condition of the residents of Chandipur block in Rayagada district where rainwater flowed on many bridges. Piskapanga, Turiguda, Gelpada, Hembruru, Kodisur, Gendabaghu and other villages in this block were inundated by floodwaters.
Meanwhile, a man was feared drowned while his brother was rescued when they were crossing a canal at Marka in Bissamkatak. The missing man was identified as Mangulu Praska (25).
Mangulu and his brother Kamalu had gone to Bissamkatak. When they were returning home, they found the canal in spate. While trying to cross the canal, the two brothers were washed away. While Kamalu swam to safety, Mangulu is still missing. Locals and fire brigade launched a search operation in the canal, but there was no trace of Mangulu.
In Ganjam district, the situation remained grim as rainwater gushed into houses and farmlands in low-lying areas at Kabisuryanagar and Aska. Road links have been snapped in some areas.
PNN
