Kendrapada: Former Rajnagar MLA Anshuman Mohanty was bitten by a snake on Thursday while wading through knee-deep floodwaters to inspect the plight of residents in inundated villages of Kendrapada district.
The incident occurred near Bachhara and Mandapada villages under Pattamundai block in Rajanagar Assembly constituency as Mohanty assessed damage caused by rising waters from the Brahmani River, which have left several surrounding settlements cut off and isolated.
Mohanty was moving through the flooded terrain to interact with affected villagers and gauge their difficulties when he felt a bite on his leg. After returning to a boat, he noticed two distinct marks and, amid reports of increased reptile encounters in the waterlogged region, immediately sought medical help. He was rushed to the Rajnagar Community Health Centre for emergency care.
Doctors at the facility confirmed that Mohanty’s condition is stable. A 20-minute whole blood clotting test showed normal results. “He came in with an unknown bite while visiting flood-affected areas. We performed a 20-minute whole blood clotting test, and his blood clotted normally within 20 minutes, which is a positive sign. He is currently symptom-free and completely normal,” the treating doctor said.
As a precaution, Mohanty will stay under observation for 24 hours, with repeat blood tests every six hours to watch for any delayed effects. It is not yet confirmed whether the snake was venomous.
On Monday, the Public Health Department reported 96 cases of snakebites, highlighting an emerging threat to flood-affected communities. Fortunately, timely medical intervention and the ready availability of anti-venom have prevented any fatalities.
