Gopalpur: Incessant rainfall triggered by cyclonic storm Arnab disrupted normal life and severely affected road connectivity along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border Thursday, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on National Highway 16.
Since Thursday morning, nearly three feet of water from the Bahuda River and adjoining streams has been flowing across the highway near K Subani, a key route connecting Kolkata and Chennai.
Hundreds of trucks and buses remained stranded on both sides of the flooded stretch, causing major traffic disruptions. Two trucks heading towards Kolkata were caught in the strong current, leaving their occupants stranded amid the rising waters.
They took refuge atop the trucks as local fishermen attempted to rescue them. On being informed, local police and senior officials from Ichchapuram in Andhra Pradesh reached the spot. However, they returned without carrying out the rescue operation as the location fell within Odisha’s jurisdiction.
Later, firefighters from the Chikiti fire station arrived and attempted to rescue the stranded people with ropes. Two firefighters lost their balance in the strong current during the operation. The team later used a boat to rescue about 18 people.
As a precautionary measure, authorities stopped all vehicles travelling from Odisha towards Andhra Pradesh near the Golanthara police station.
Hundreds of trucks, cars and buses remained stranded on both sides of the highway at the time of filing this report, causing considerable hardship to commuters, passengers and truck drivers.
