Thuamul Rampur: Relentless rain and strong winds over the past three days have disrupted normal life across Thuamul Rampur block in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, with landslides, fallen trees and rising water levels cutting off several villages and damaging houses and public infrastructure.
Sources said several families have been left without shelter after thatched and mud houses collapsed in the rain, while residents in low-lying and hilly areas have reported difficulties accessing food, roads and basic services. Residents said many affected families are being forced to take shelter under polythene sheets.
The sources added that the impact has been particularly severe in Hadsil village under Padapadar gram panchayat, where a landslide near the village has blocked the Hadsil-Talapada road. Repeated soil slips from Tarasamali Dangar near Khamarpadar have also raised concerns among villagers, who fear further landslides could threaten the settlement, the source added.
The rain has also disrupted education. The government primary school at Sana Chhatrang has been affected by the heavy rain and strong winds, leaving the condition of the school building a concern, the sources informed.
Sources added that rising water levels in rivers and streams have left several villages cut off. Areas including Kerpai, Talamapadar, Odri, Gopinathpur, Maligaon, Padapadar, Karlapat, Gunupur and Nakarundi have reported significant disruption. Residents of Bhutaguda (Tentulipada) village under Padapadar panchayat have remained cut off for two days as floodwater flows through the Dumurimunda stream. Similarly, residents of Kachelekha, Kutrumali and Podapari under Kerpai panchayat have been cut off from the outside world following a rise in the Nagavali river.
Water has reportedly entered some houses in the affected villages, while firewood has become wet, leaving families struggling to cook and, in some cases, going without food. Road connectivity has also been severely affected after large trees fell across the Karlapat main road and near the Sialipadar cremation ground. Power supply has further added to residents’ difficulties. Electricity remains shut from 8 am to 6 pm in the area, leaving villages without power for most of the day, the sources informed.
A departmental official said the supply was being disconnected as a precaution because of strong winds.
Amid the worsening situation, residents have alleged that the block administration and tehsil authorities failed to undertake adequate advance warning and relief measures. They have urged local representatives and officials to assess damage in every gram panchayat, particularly vulnerable areas such as Hadsil, and provide polythene sheets, relief materials and dry food to affected families.
Residents have also sought government housing for homeless and vulnerable families who meet eligibility criteria under housing schemes.
Efforts to contact Thuamul Rampur BDO Dhruba Charan Muduli for a response were unsuccessful.