Bhubaneswar: Two persons were killed in separate wall collapse incidents in Ganjam and Mayurbhanj as incessant rain sparked flash floods in various parts of Odisha, disrupting communication and life on Friday.
In Ganjam, an 80-year-old woman was reportedly killed after a mud wall of her house collapsed at Purunaudra village in Belaguntha block. The incident occurred late Thursday night when the victim, Hema Naik, was asleep.
Her kutcha house had reportedly been weakened by incessant rain over the past four days. Family members and villagers pulled her out of the debris and took her to Bhanjanagar sub-divisional hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
In another incident, a youth had a narrow escape after being reportedly swept away by strong currents in Baghua reservoir in Buguda block. The youth, a resident of Bhagabanpur village, reportedly fell into the water while fishing and was swept downstream before managing to cling on to a tree. Fire services personnel later brought him to safety.
In Mayurbhanj, a 55-year-old woman died in house collapse caused by heavy rainfall at Punasia village in Saraskana block’s Jalda panchayat area on Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Chunu Naik. She was asleep when the mishap took place.
Following heavy rains, floodwater was flowing over Nahluwa bridge on state highway-19 connecting Udala and Baripada, bringing traffic on the route to a complete halt.
Similarly, Budhabalanga bridge near Kaliaami in Bangiriposi block was overtopped too, disrupting communication in the area.
The overflowing Gangahar river submerged a bridge, disrupting communication between Baisinga and Bhimda and Badasahi and Kuamara. Several resorts in Lulung and Sitakund in the Similipal Tiger Reserve have also been surrounded by floodwater.
Balasore
In Balasore, Jalaka river was flowing at 6.86 metre against the danger level at 6.50 metre at Mathani, triggering flood fear in low-lying villages of Basta block. Similarly, water level of Budhabalanga river has reached at 8.13 metre against the danger mark of 8.2 metre at NH-16.
Kalahandi
Flash floods were also reported in several areas of Kalahandi district as Hati river breached its bank following heavy rains over the past two days. Following continuous rainfall in the upper catchment areas, five gates were opened by Indravati project authorities, discharging 550 cumecs of water into Hati river since Thursday night. This led to flooding in Biripur, Matikhal, Karmel, Balichada, Temra in Kalampur block besides Rajpur, Kutengaon and Banijora. The Kalampur-Biripur road was under three feet water while major roads in Jaipatna, Koksara, Dharamgarh and Thuamul Rampur blocks were overtopped.
Koraput
In Koraput, the Indravati river rose sharply after three gates were opened to release floodwater. Five panchayats in Kotpad block were cut off after several villages were inundated, while over 100 houses were reportedly damaged. Paddy crops were also destroyed in several areas. More than 600 people from Girla, Gumuda, Guali, Sadaranga and Chandili panchayats were evacuated in Kotpad.
Sources said floodwaters from Indravati, Kolab and their tributaries marooned 20 panchayats in Jeypore sub-division, affecting nearly 10,000 people. Around 2,000 villagers were evacuated to relief centres.
Water was flowing over bridges near Girla and Phupugaon disrupted connectivity to Nabarangpur and on the Kotpad-Kusumi-Jeypore route. The Koraput-Borigumma road was closed following landslides near Ranigod.
Nabarangpur
In Nabarangpur, flooding and waterlogging were reported from several parts of the district, affecting around 18,818 people.
Collector Maheswar Swain said low-lying areas were flooded after four gates of Indravati reservoir were opened on Thursday night. The worst affected were Sana Daibhata and Bada Daibhata villages in Nandahandi block. Five ODRAF and eight fire services teams have been deployed in Nandahandi, Kosagumuda and Nabarangpur blocks besides the municipality area.
Malkangiri
The flood situation in Malkangiri remained grim with the district administration evacuating 2,259 people to safer places. The incessant rains led to submergence of seven bridges, leading to disruption of road communication at several places. Around 37 villages in 28 gram panchayats of Mathili, Kalimela, Podia and Khairput blocks have been affected. The administration is keeping a close watch on Potteru and Pangam bridges.
Jajpur
In Jajpur, floodwater from Kani river, a branch of Baitarani, entered Tarapada and Kapasi panchayats in Dasarathpur block through a 100 feet wide breach.
Keonjhar
Incessant rains also led to rise in water levels of several rivers in Keonjhar district. Traffic movement from Ratanpur towards NH-20 was disrupted as floodwater of Machhakandana river submerged the local bridge. Vehicular traffic was also halted on the road leading from Saharapada towards Mayurbhanj after floodwater submerged the Tel river bridge.
Traffic on NH-49 was partially affected after a landslide occurred at Judia ghat near Keonjhar town. Debris also fell on the road at Gonashika ghat.
Jagatsinghpur
Heavy rains also disrupted life across Jagatsinghpur district, leaving several areas inundated on the day. In Erasama, a breach in an old culvert over Kaudia river cut off Bijaychandrapur from Paradip. While rainwater entered houses in several villages, vehicular movement on Erasama-Manijanga road was disrupted after a tree got uprooted near Ibrising.
