BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Saturday rushed Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) for rescue operations in the newly inundated areas of Jajpur, Kendrapara and Dhenkanal districts.
Sources in Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) office said, the blocks inundated were Binjharpur, Bari and Dharmasala in Jajpur district, Kamakshyanagar and Bhuban block in Dhenkanal district and Pattamundai block in Kendrapara district.
The rising flood waters of Brahmani and Kharasrota rivers have marooned 26 villages in Bari, Danagadi, Rasulpur and Binjharpur blocks of the Jajpur district. Over 8000 people in at least 17 villages of Bari block have been marooned following a 60-feet breach in Brahmani embankment at Bankasahi of Kimbhiriapal panchayat in the district.
"ODRAF team rescued at least 30 people from the flood waters Bari block of Jajpur district," SRC B P Sethi said and added that rescue operation was also carried out at Mirzapur under the block.
Sources also said that district administration of Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Kendrapara have been kept on alert to meet the situation.
Official sources maintained that about 130 villages have been inundated in the floods which have affected over 1.5 lakh people. Several blocks were inundated as the water level in Brahmani and Kharasrota rivers rose after the sluice gates of Rengali reservoir were opened.
Though the water level was falling in Subarnarekha river at Jamsolaghat and Rajghat, flood water entered into more than 80 villages of Balasore district. Many villages in the district were inundated as flood water remaining above five feet.
Eight gates of Hirakud reservoir have been opened where 1,52,746 cusecs of water were released against an inflow of 94,904 cusecs to it. The water level in it at 3 pm was 607.45 feet as against the full reservoir level of 630 feet.