Villages marooned in Koraput, roads damaged

As the water level of Indravati and its tributaries is rising, they are apprehensive of flash floods anytime.

KORAPUT/JEYPORE : Incessant  rains since Friday morning have left villagers of Koraput worried. As the water level of Indravati and its tributaries is rising, they are apprehensive of flash floods anytime.
Many villages have been marooned and Indravati has submerged the road near Surli, disrupting vehicular traffic between Odisha and Chhattisgarh on Saturday. 

Villages in Borrigumma, Kotpad, Nandapur, Damantpur, Lamtaput and Kundra blocks have been cut off from the mainstream due to rise in water level of Kolab, Biri, Tudu, Suri and Patali rivers. Road connectivity from Kotpad block to panchayats of Sadranaga, Damnahandi and Bansuli has been hit. People of Kotpad have been asked to remain alert over possibility of flood due to heavy rains in the catchment areas.

As road culverts were submerged in rainwater, vehicular movement to Chhattisgarh, Malkangiri and Rayagada was affected. According to preliminary damage assessment report, 350 thatched houses in Jeypore and 550 houses in Koraput sub-division have either collapsed or have been partially damaged. 
About 500-km  village roads and 100 culverts have been damaged and washed away respectively. Two villagers of Semla under Borrigumma block were swept away in Tudu river but they were rescued by locals. 

Four sluice gates of Machkund hydel project were opened to release 9,000 cusecs of water following heavy rain in catchment areas.Standing paddy crops have been damaged and water submerged agriculture lands in Borrigumma, Kundra, Jeypore and Kotpad pockets. Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati visited several affected areas of Jeypore and Borrigumma blocks on the day and demanded the district administration to carry out relief and rescue operations.

Train services were also hit as water submerged railway tracks between Liliguma and Bhaalumaska railway station. As a result, the DMU and Intercity Express to Visakhapatnam were detained for eight hours, while Hirakhand Express arrived seven hours late at Koraput. Due to the delayed arrival, Hirakhand was diverted from Koraput railway station. The Visakhapatnam-Kirondole passenger train was diverted back from Koraput railway station as tracks between Bacheli and Banshi railway stations were washed away due to floods in Chhattisgarh. 

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