Flood water reaches villages in coastal districts of Odisha 4.67 lakh people were affected by this, while on August 17 lakhs were stranded due to a huge sheet of water.
The low-lying areas of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack and Puri have been affected by the flood waters flowing into the Mahanadi. The weakened river and canal embankments further worsened the situation.
“Peak floods are currently passing through low-lying areas of Cuttack and Puri. By midnight the flood waters would have gone. We are hopeful that the flood waters will start receding from Thursday morning. Wednesday night is important to us. The situation is serious but under control,” said Odisha Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena on the evening of August 17.
Mr. Jena said that with the cooperation of the district administration, people saved various embankments from breaking down and prevented further submergence.
He said, ‘4.67 lakh people have been affected by the floods, which is likely to increase further. Around 2.5 lakh people are trapped. We are providing cooked food to over 60,000 people who are in dire need of food.
According to the SRC, 425 villages are surrounded by flood waters. 1757 villages in 64 blocks and 10 towns in 12 districts have been affected. After the flood water recedes, the state government will assess the damage to crops and houses. No casualties have been reported. More than 53,000 people have been evacuated to safer places.
country boats carry food
Country boats have been deployed to carry cooked food to the stranded people and pouches of drinking water will be supplied to flood-affected people in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Kendrapara districts.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department said that a Cyclonic Circulation lies over South Myanmar and its neighborhood and extends up to 5.8 km above sea level. Under its influence, a low pressure area is likely to form over North Bay of Bengal around August 19.
The SRC said that district collectors had already been alerted about the rains to occur between August 18 and 22.
“We are expecting the flood waters to start receding on Thursday morning”Pradeep Kumar JenaOdisha Special Relief Commissioner