BHUBANESWAR: Heavy downpour triggered by a depression, which crossed Odisha coast, battered several parts of the State on Wednesday leading to flash flood in Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Kalahandi and Kandhamal districts.
Two persons from Mundimaska village of Tumudibandh block in Kandhamal district have gone missing following flood in the area. More than 3,000 people in all the affected districts have been evacuated to safer places, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi said.
Road connectivity was affected in Korukonda, Khairput, Mathili, Kalimela, Podia and Malkangiri Sadar blocks of Malkangiri district as flood water started flowing over the roads.
Flood water of Bansadhara river, which crossed the danger mark at Kashinagar in Gajapati and Gunupur in Rayagada, has inundated low-lying areas in both the districts.
Hati river, which was in spate after heavy rainfall in its upper catchment, triggered fear of flood in Lanjigarh, Dharamgarh and other parts of Kalahandi.
In Kandhamal district, which received the highest rainfall of 183.2 mm during the day, road link was disrupted in many areas as a portion of river bridge connecting Baliguda and Jharipani was washed away.
A bridge in Tumudibandh block reportedly caved in due to a flash flood. People in several parts of Koraput and Nabarangpur were affected due to heavy rains and flood-like situation.
Apart from these districts, major cities like Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Berhampur also witnessed urban flooding and water-logging during the day. The average rainfall recorded in the State during the last 24 hours was 57. 5 mm.
Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, Kalahandi and Ganjam recorded rainfall of more than 100 mm.
Lanjigarh block in Kalahandi, Kashipur block in Rayagada and Kotagarh block in Kandhamal recorded rainfall of more than 300 mm. In view of heavy downpour in Kalahandi and increasing water level of Indravati dam, five gates of Mangalpur barrage have been opened to regulate flow of flood water, sources said. The SRC said the situation, however, is under control.
The Government has deployed ODRAF team in each of the affected districts for rescue and relief operation.He asked the collectors to take necessary measures as the Met department has predicted heavy rainfall in 12 districts on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, the Met department said the depression over northwest Bay of Bengal, which turned into a deep depression on Wednesday afternoon, will gradually weaken into depression in the next 24 hours.
It, however, will trigger heavy rains in Bargarh, Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Balangir and Sundargarh on August 8 and 9, the Met department added.