RAYAGADA: Most of the families at Badaduara Sahi in Kalyansighpur of the district have not cooked anything on Sunday after floods from Kalyani river swept away their belongings, including food stuff. Some families have been starving, while others have managed to feed themselves and their children with food they received from their relatives.
Locals said their food stock was either swept away or damaged in the floods. Describing his plight, Gouranga Samal said he woke up early on Sunday hearing the roaring sound of flood water in Kalyani river. Before he could react, the household property, including food stuff, were washed away in a flash. The water level reached a height of 15 to 20 feet, he added.
Motiram Karkaria (45), who lost everything in the flash flood, said, “In the last three decades, we have not witnessed anything like this. Everything has been swept away, we have nothing to eat. The fury of the flood engulfed everything within hours.”
At Kurteli under Kolnara block, Budu Karkaria and Deba Karkaria were grazing cattle when flash floods from Nagavali submerged the bank. The two were dragged away by rain water and they held on to a tree and remained there for more than seven hours. Later, they were rescued by the members of ODRAF and Chandili police officials. Due to heavy downpour, villagers of Ramanaguda, Gudari, Rayagada and Muniguda blocks have been affected.