Naveen reviews flood situation
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday directed all departments concerned to keep all district control rooms operational round-the-clock and collect minute details about the water level of all major rivers and tributaries.
Taking note of the severe waterlogging in all major cities, he directed the officials to evacuate rainwater using high-powered pumps at the earliest.
He directed the Revenue and Disaster Management department to keep the ODRAF and Fire brigade teams on alert for rescue and relief operations. He also directed the authorities of the Cuttack and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporations to provide cooked food to the people in the waterlogged areas. The health department was also asked to ensure adequate stock of medicines and keep the medical teams in readiness.
More downpour in store
The IMD on Saturday warned heavy to heavy rainfall in the State as the well-marked low pressure over northwest Bay of Bengal adjoining West Bengal and Odisha coasts has concentrated into a depression. It is now lying over northwest Bay of Bengal.
The met office stated that the depression moved west northwestwards and crossed north Odisha and West Bengal by Saturday evening. “Rainfall will likely occur at most places in the State in next 24 hours. However, the rainfall activity will gradually decrease in the coastal areas by Sunday afternoon. Rain will likely occur in the interior parts of the State till Sunday night,” Regional Meteorological Centre Director HR Biswas said. It also issued a warning for the fishermen asking them to refrain from venturing into the sea.
Helpline goes out of service
“The number you have dialed is busy. Please try after sometime” was the response from the the newly launched ‘Bhubaneswar One Helpline Service’ on Saturday after residents dialed the number to register their grievances related to waterlogging.
After low pressure rain played havoc in the Capital last Monday, the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited had launched the service on Wednesday to help citizens of Bhubaneswar register their complaints and grievances regarding all services provided by it and three other city agencies BMC, BDA and Bhubaneswar Regions Urban Transport.
However, four days after launching of the service, allegations of the service going out of service were levelled. Locals alleged that the toll free numbers 1800-345 0061 and landline 0674-2548295 were busy though out the day and they failed to lodge their grievance.
ODRAF roped in for rescue operations
Bhubaneswar: One night’s rainfall and Smart City Bhubaneswar had to call in specialised disaster response units like Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services to rescue citizens - such grave has been the flooding in the city. For the first time in the history of Capital City, ODRAF personnel were mobilised to take part in rescue and evacuation operations.
About 11 teams of ODRAF comprising 10 to 12 members each were deployed in various areas of the city to rescue the trapped people. The ODRAF officials said they concentrated mainly on the worst-hit areas like Jaydev Vihar, Kasipur village under Tamando police limits and near GITA in Bada Raghunathpur.
They provided life jackets to the residents stranded in the storm water and shifted them to safer places through boats. They also recovered vehicles from the flood zones.
The ODRAF teams were assisted by the Commissionerate Police during the rescue operations in the city. Odisha Fire Service personnel were also roped in to carry out the rescue operations in various pockets. The officials said they rescued about 450 persons from 13 locations during the day.
The flow of rain water was very strong in some areas including Jaydev Vihar and the fire service personnel had to use inflated tubes to rescue about 15 trapped residents. They also drained out rain water from 46 areas including Gouri Garden, Mallik Complex in Jagamara, Paika Nagar, Jaydev Vihar, Chakeisiani and Laxmisagar using pump sets.