JEYPORE/KORAPUT: Continuing rains for the last five days have once again thrown normal life out of gear in Koraput district even as people in Kotpad and Borrigumma blocks are staring at floods for the third time in the last one month. Two persons have already lost their lives in the last five days at Borrigumma block. The deceased are Chintamani Muduli of Haradaguda village and Kandili Jani of Kandriguda village. Chintamani and Kandili were swept away while crossing the swollen Kacheri river on September 2 and 3 respectively. Chintamani’s body was recovered on September 4 and Kandili was found dead on September 5.
On Friday, with no respite from rains, markets in Jeypore, Koraput, Sunabeda and Kotpad were closed down while communication to many parts of the district was snapped due to damaged roads and culverts. The rains have damaged over 2,000 houses in different blocks. Due to heavy downpour, two gates of Muran dam in Borrigumma block have been opened to release excess water.
Indravati dam reservoir in the neighbouring Nabarangpur district is on the rise and four dam gates have been opened. People residing in areas downstream of Indravati and Surli rivers under Borrigumma and Kotpad blocks respectively, are apprehending floods due to release of water from both Muram and Indravati dams. Both Indravati and Surli rivers are flowing close to the danger mark. Around 30 villages in these two blocks are likely to be marooned if rains continue for another 24 hours.
Five villages under Dasmanthpur block have been cut off as two culverts- Gaighat and Gudi Jhola - near Solopguda village were washed away.On Friday morning, an ailing Jagabandhu Mali of Solapguda had to be carried in a bamboo sling by villagers to cross the two damaged culverts and reach ambulance that was stationed near Phulbeda junction.
He was then taken to Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital. The Koraput administration has started asking people residing in low lying areas of the two blocks to shift to safer places. ODRAF personnel, block and revenue officials have been deputed to Kotpad block and Civil Supply officials asked to stock food materials in relief centres.