Heavy Rain Wreaks Havoc In Odisha; Vehicles Banned On Submerged Roads In Worst-Hit Malkangiri

Bhubaneswar: Heavy downpour triggered by a depression wreaked havoc in several parts of Odisha with rain water submerging roads, bridges and low-lying areas on Sunday.

Life was thrown out of gear in many areas, particularly in southern Odisha districts, as vehicular movement was severely affected due to submergence of roads. The worst hit was Malkangiri district, where water was still flowing over several roads and bridges.

While the depression weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area over coastal Odisha, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues yellow warning of heavy rain in many districts for the next three days.

In view of the situation, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) directed Malkangiri Collector to take necessary steps and strictly prohibit the movement of vehicles in submerged roads and bridges till the water recedes.

As Odisha was battered by heavy rain for the last few days, Nuapada received an average rainfall of 96.1mm, followed by Sonepur with 73.6mm, while Boudh recorded 66.5mm of rainfall during the last 24 hours. The highest rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours is 154.4mm in Athamallik block of Angul, official sources said.

Five blocks in the state – Athamallik of Angul district, Padmapur of Bargarh district, Boden, Sinapali of Nuapada district, Dunguripali of Subarnapur district – have received over 100 mm of rainfall.

The SRC also directed Malkangiri Collector to evacuate people from low-lying areas if required. Apart from this, directions have also been issued to conduct an assessment of the damage to public and private properties after the receding of the water

The office of the SRC said heavy rainfall was experienced in Nabaranghpur, Koraput, Khurda, Nayagarh, and Malkangiri districts on July 19, while Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Nabarangpur received heavy downpour on July 20.

Heavy rain was also recorded in Nuapada, Sonepur, Boudh, Malkangiri, Balangir and Angul districts and some other places of the state on Sunday.

A report from Nabarangpur said that a rice mill and its godown collapsed under the impact of heavy rain in Nabarangpur. A major tragedy was averted as five employees at the mill were not present when the structure collapsed, sources said.

The situation remained grim in Malkangiri where at least ten bridges and several roads were still under water, while more than 35 villages in the district got cut off following inundation of vast areas.

As per IMD forecast, heavy rain is likely to pound some placed of Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur, Boudh, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri during the next 24 hours.