Man Swept Away, Bridge Submerged In Odisha’s Malkangiri After Heavy Rain Which Snaps Road Link With Andhra

Malkangiri: Amid heavy downpour in southern Odisha, one person was washed away and major roads got submerged with water in Malkangiri district where normal life was severely affected.

With the district encountering flash floods again following incessant rain since Tuesday, Kangurukonda bridge was submerged with water, snapping road communication between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on NH-326 on Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places in the district till tomorrow morning

Malkangiri, which experienced flash floods last week, recorded the highest rainfall of 80.4 mm since Tuesday followed by 53 mm in Ganjam. In Kandhamal district Phiringia reported 34.8 mm at Phiringia and 33 mm in Kalinga, they said.

An official report said one person from Muduliguda village under Rasabeda panchayat of Malkangiri district was swept away by the swirling waters when he went to farmland on Tuesday. His body was later found in a nearby canal.

A report from the district said that rain water is flowing above the portion of the NH 326, leaving a large number of vehicles stranded on the highway.

Similar situation also prevailed in bridges at Poteru, MV-96 and Kanyashram, which resulted in hundreds of vehicles to be stranded on both sides of the road.    The heavy rainfall has also marooned many areas under Kalimela block in Malkangiri district, it said.

The IMD said the intensity of the rainfall will increase once the well marked low pressure over the Bay of Bengal intensifies into a depression.