KENDRAPARA: Continuous rainfall has increased the flood threat for the riverside villages of Rajkanika, Pattamundai and Aul blocks in Kendrapara district as Brahmani, Kani and Kharosotra and their tributaries are swelling.
Even as Singhgaon panchayat in Pattamundai has been cut-off from mainland, agricultural land in villages like Krushnadaspur, Sanaraulia, Badaraulia, Penthapal, Taradipala, Baluria, Amrutamohani, Andara, Balipatana, Bachara, Tarapur and Srirampur have already been submerged in water.
Pattamundai BDO Bharat Chandra Parida said adequate amount of rice, flattened rice, molasses, kerosene and other essential items have been stocked at the block headquarters and panchayat offices. Besides, power boats have been arranged to evacuate people from the villages if needed.
Ashok Sutar of Manapur village said the 12 km stretch of road between Manapur and Gobindapur in Aul block is now under two feet of water. Similarly, water is also flowing over the 5 km long Petapada-Thakurapatana road as a result of which Petapada, Thakurapatana, Madanagiri, Kharakhari, Baramania and other villages have been cut-off from the mainland. What’s worse is that embankments in several places across the district are on the verge of collapse due to sub-standard repair work.
Farmers, who had planted paddy saplings a couple of months back are the worst-affected. Sources said flood water has damaged saplings in Gobindapur, Dimiripala, Sansidha, Argala, Ketuapala, Petapada, Aradang, Juania, Desahi, Palimi and other panchayats of Aul. Ranjan Swain of Gobindapur said if the paddy saplings will rot if they remain submerged for two to three days.
District emergency officer Sambeet Satapathy said the chief district agriculture officer has been directed to submit a report on crop loss in the affected villages. “We are on high alert as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rain from Wednesday due to a low pressure over Bay of Bengal,” he said.