KENDRAPARA: Fresh rains on Wednesday poured more misery on flood-hit people still marooned in the coastal district besides hampering relief and rescue operations in the aftermath of cyclone Yaas.
Following the cyclone, a large number of people have taken shelter in makeshift tents on river embankments, highways and other higher grounds after floodwater inundated several villages. Compounding their woes, Wednesday’s downpour has resulted in inundation of temporary shelters.
Mandira Mallick of Namatara said, “Since Saturday, my family is staying in a tent on the river embankment at Namatara in Rajkanika block after our house was damaged in the floods. Now, water has entered our tent after the rains.”
Sources said the showers threw life out of gear for a large number of Yaas-affected people in Rangani, Talachua, Pattaparia, Sailendra Narayanpur, Charakola, Vekta and other villages in Rajnagar.
Though the floodwater has receded in most places, villagers of Singhgaon, Srirampur, Mathasahi, Palapatana, Kadamadandi, Jenapatana, Damarapur, Balabhadrapur, Sasana, Balipatana, Alava, Tanupur, Earadanga and Sansida under Pattamundai and Aul blocks still remain cut off from the mainland. At many places, villagers are continuing battling the fury of swollen Brahmani, Kani and Kharasrota rivers.
The rains have added to the woes of thousands of homeless people who are bracing to spend the fifth night in the open. Many affected people complained that they are yet to get any relief from the administration.
“My four-room thatched house collapsed on Sunday following which my family including three children is residing in a makeshift camp. I am in urgent need of polythene cover and drinking water,” said Sahadev Mallick of Pradhanpada village.
District emergency officer Sambeet Satpathy said following the rains, the administration distributed more polythene sheets in the affected villages. Polythene sheets have been provided to 1,093 families.