Bhubaneswar: As cyclone Montha moved towards the coast, heavy rain lashed several parts of Odisha, causing landslides, uprooting trees and damaging houses in districts such as Gajapati and Rayagada on Tuesday.
While big boulders blocked key roads following landslides in Gajapati district, uprooted trees caused damage to houses and obstructed traffic in Rayagada.
Uprooted trees blocked several roads in Gunupur, Gudari and Ramnaguda areas of Rayagada district. Official teams swiftly visited the affected areas to undertaken restoration work. At least seven nodal officers have been engaged by the district administration in view of the cyclone.
Officials said a portion of a hill collapsed along the Linga–Barabha road under Partoda panchayat in Kashinagar block of Gajapati district. As large rocks and debris blocked the road, vehicular movement came to a grinding halt on the route.
Following the incident, district authorities swung into action and launched road clearance operations to restore connectivity and ensure public safety.
As per information, a portion of the road has been washed away under the impact of heavy rain. As a result, vehicles, particularly four-wheelers, were unable to proceed on the route.
Proper repair work can commence only after rainfall subsides and the weather stabilises. The restoration work is expected to take around 48 hours, said officials.
As an immediate step, the local administration carried out temporary repairs to allow limited movement of smaller vehicles and maintain partial accessibility for emergency services.
As a precautionary measure, the local administration had already deployed Fire Service personnel in sensitive and landslide-prone areas. Rescue and disaster response teams have been stationed at vulnerable locations to handle any emergency.
Evacuation process was undertaken on Monday to prevent untoward incidents, with residents being moved to designated cyclone shelters, including several expectant mothers.
At least 600 people have taken shelter in Gumma block, while all expectant mothers were shifted to the Maternity Waiting Home. Fifteen pregnant women were relocated there on Monday night.
Given that Paralakhemundi, Gumma, and Rayagada blocks often experience landslides during low-pressure rains, the district administration had taken preventive steps following cyclone warnings.
