MALKANGIRI :Normal life was thrown out of gear in the district on Friday as heavy rains coupled with the bandh called by Maoists heaped miseries on residents. Incessant rains have been lashing the district since Thursday night with the highest of 131 mm rainfall recorded from Korukonda block. The intensity of the rain can be gauged by the fact that between 9.30 pm on Thursday and 8.30 am on Friday, the district recorded 75.86 mm rain.
The heavy rains have led to flooding of arterial roads and routes connecting the district headquarters town, thereby affecting traffic movement. The district headquarters town remained cutoff from Motu, Kalimela, Balimela, Chitrakonda, Khairput, Mathili and Podia as rain water was flowing 4-5 feet high above the low lying bridges at Korukonda, Tarlakota, Potteru and Pangam between Malkangiri-Balimela-Chit r a k o n d a a n d Malkangiri-Mathili- Jeypore.
Communication on the State highway between Jeypore and Malkangiri has also been affected because of landslide in Govindpalli ghat region due to heavy downpour during the last 24 hours. A flood-like situation cannot be ruled out in the district if the rain continues. District Emergency officer Pramod Kumar Behera termed the showers as very heavy.
On the other hand, the bandh call given by Malkangiri-Koraput- Visakhapatnam Border (MKVB) division of CPI (Maoist) protesting the Polavaram project brought traffic at different places to a standstill. Passengers faced a harrowing time as Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) and private buses remained off roads. Hundreds of commuters were stranded at different places, including Malkangiri bus stand. Vehicular traffic was also hit in the Maoist-hotbed of Kalimela. However, business establishments remained open as usual.
Admin starts evacuation
With rains showing no signs of relenting, the district administration has started evacuating people residing in low-lying areas under Mathili panchayat. Teams comprising personnel of Fire, Health and Police departments as well as PRI members have been pressed into service for shifting people residing near Atalguda river of Gangrajgumma in Mathili area to safer places, said Collector Manish Agarwal. The Collector urged the public not to panic. “The administration is fully prepared to meet any kind of eventuality,” said Agarwal.