JAGATSINGHPUR: It was heart break for thousands of brothers residing in 560 villages under eight blocks of the district affected by flash flood in Paika, Mahanadi and Devi rivers. With postal services and communication paralysed due to the deluge, Rakhi Purnima celebration turned out to be a damp squib as ‘Rakhis’ sent by sisters could not reach the destined households on time.
Popularly known as Raksha Bandhan, the day celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters with the former tying a cotton thread on the latter’s wrists.
Postal and telecom services and road communication have been hit since the last five days due to flood.
Sources said flash flood has taken nearly 560 villages of 155 panchayats in its grip. Nearly 50 villages are still cut off from the mainland. As many as 45,252 flood victims are staying in 24 temporary relief camps in different villages. Two ODRAF and four fire fighter teams have been pressed into service to carry out rescue and relief operation.
Postal services have been completely paralysed in flood-hit areas due to disruption of road communication. Nearly 40 branch post offices and sub-post offices have been closed.
Though more than five days have passed since flash flood wreaked havoc in various parts of Tirtol and Kujang blocks, many villages continue to remain cut off. Nearly 70 villages of the two blocks still remain inaccessible.
Bhajani Biswal of Saralpur village under Tirtol said, “My sister, who is staying in Kolkata, had sent Rakhi by post. I am yet to get it as services in Sankheswer post office have been paralysed for the last five days.”
Susmita Sahoo of Badbalikani village said, “Our village has been inundated by flood water. My two brothers, who are working in Hyderabad, could not come as road communication has been snapped.”
Postmaster of Tirtol sub-post office Dhananjaya Das said services in five post offices of Sankheswer, Kolar, Danilo, Narijanga and Anolipatana have been paralysed. Distribution of letters, especially Rakhis and money orders, has been affected due to flood in Mahanadi and Paika rivers,” he added.