PHULBANI : A diversion road on NH-59 in Kandhamal district was washed away following heavy rains on Friday night, bringing vehicular traffic to a standstill. The road connects Kandhamal with Kalahandi near Mundigarh and Mandalpadar under Tumudibandha block. Rain water gushed down from the nearby hills and washed away the road.
Even as hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road for the last 24 hours, repair work had not started by Saturday evening. Buses on Cuttack-Nabarangapur, Dharmagarh- Bhubaneswar, Rampur- Bhubaneswar, Berhampur- Bhawanipatna and Rampur- Phulbani routes were stranded with passengers remaining without food and water.