45 killed, 3.3 million marooned after floods in Odisha

45 killed, 3.3 million marooned after floods in OdishaBhubaneswar: Even there is no rain from last 2-3 days in Odisha still 3.3 million people of 294 villages had been marooned. The water level had been also flowing below the danger level and the flood water began to fall back. The death toll due to the floods in Odisha rose to 45.

An official from Revenue department said, “There has been almost no rain for the past two-three days. However 294 villages are still surrounded by flood water. People are taking shelter on embankments, cyclone shelters, schools and other high rise structures.”

He also said, “Relief efforts have been stepped up in all the flood affected areas including in the worst hit Puri and Kendrapada districts.”

“More than 86,000 people are being provided cooked food in 100 free kitchens which the state government has set up in flood hit areas,” he added.

Special relief commissioner P.K. Mohapatra said, “If one or two individuals say they have not received relief, I have nothing to say. I do not want to comment. We are looking into things at the macro level. We have sufficient relief material and its distribution is on.”

The government has said that it is doing its best to handle the crisis with 40 teams from both state and national disaster response forces dispatched to affected areas. Free kitchens at 200-odd places coupled by over 100 medical teams and 365 boats to help those affected by the floods are part of the government’s rehabilitation plans.

Officials said, “The latest floods in Odisha have damaged over 30,000 houses, damaged crops over an area of 3.4 million hectares.”

The highest number of casualties occurred in Bargarh district, followed by Mayurbhanj district, though deaths are reported in Bhadrak and Sambalpur, as well mainly caused by drowning in swirling waters and wall collapses.

Bureau Report

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