DEOGARH: Thousands of villagers in Barkote block have been marooned since Friday night due to backwaters of Rengali dam constructed over river Brahmani.
Villages of Kadalipal, Ratanpur, Sunamunda, Panposi and San Manapur in Raitabahal gram panchayat, Phulsura and Singir in Madhyapur gram panchayat besides Meghadarsanpur, Harekrushnapur, Padampur, Aamgaon, Kumbhargadia and Ghataposi in Singhasal gram panchayat of the block have been badly affected. The State Highway 10 connecting Bahadaposi with Lahunipada in Sundargarh district has been cut off with flood water flowing over the highway at a 12km stretch between Singhasal and Masinta. This apart, water is flowing over the old bridge over river Brahmani at Barkote.
Crops in thousands of acres of agricultural land have also been damaged in many villages.
The district administration has set up four relief camps in affected villages and cooked food is being served to the flood victims. Deogarh MLA Sanjib Pradhan and Deogarh Collector Julius Lakra are overseeing the relief works.