7 Blocks Affected By Flood In Odisha’s Puri Dist; Over 22,000 People Evacuated

Puri: As many as 7 blocks in Odisha’s Puri district have been affected by flood in different rivers due to heavy rains for the last few days.

This was revealed at a meeting held by Revenue and and Disaster Management Minister Pramila Mallik and School & Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash with district officials in the pilgrim town to review the flood situation on Friday.

The officials pointed out that the flood was caused by overflowing Daya, Bhargavi, Kusabhadra, Ratnachirta, Luna and Makara rivers due to the heavy rains. The blocks that have been affected by the flood are Astarang, Gop, Delang, Kanas, Nimapada, Pipili and Puri Sadar.

With 201 villages under 55 panchayats being waterlogged, total 1,43,429 people have shifted to higher places, rooftops and safe shelters.

It was also revealed at the meeting that more than one lakh people of 142 villages were trapped in waterlogging by Wednesday. With the roads connecting to these villages submerged under floodwater, the people have been cut off from outside world till now.

As many as 12,319 flood affected people were evacuated and shifted to 161 safe shelters on Wednesday and 10,360 people to 7 safe shelters on Thursday. Relief materials including 46,000 drinking eater bottles and 1,220 polythene sheets have been distributed among the people at safe shelters and 47 free kitchens have been opened at different places to provide cooked food.

While no loss of human life has been reported from any part of the district, more than 37,000 cattle have been affected. According to official report, crop in around 6,577 hectare cultivable land have been rendered waterlogged.

Puri MLA Jayant Sarangi, Satyabadi MLA Umakant Samantray, Pipili MLA and Puri district collector Samarth Verma were among others who were present at the meeting.