BHUBANESWAR: At least four people, including a fire service personnel, have died in the flood, which has affected over 2.03 lakh people in six districts of Odisha.
According to the situation report released by the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), the flood affected 748 villages spread over 233 gram panchayats, 44 blocks and six urban local bodies of the State.
Official sources said that 27,967 people have been evacuated by the authorities to safer places, while 226 villages remain marooned. The floods have also claimed the lives of nine livestock animals.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said he was closely monitoring the flood situation and appealed to the people not to panic. “The life and safety of every citizen is of utmost importance to us. My government and I are closely monitoring the situation arising out of incessant rains and floods. I have discussed the situation with the chief secretary and the special relief commissioner and directed the entire administration to ensure the safety of people in the affected areas," he said in a social media post.
The CM also condoled the death of fire service personnel Chandan Pattnaik.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, who reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting, said three deaths have been reported from Keonjhar district.
"An elderly man died in a wall collapse incident, a child drowned, and a fire services personnel on flood duty was electrocuted in the district," he added.
The Revenue Minister said Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Dhenkanal districts have been severely affected by the floods.
Besides, Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Gajapati have also witnessed flooding following heavy rain triggered by the deep depression.
Balasore has been the worst-affected district, where 1,09,429 people of 378 villages in 12 blocks were affected. The district has reported damage to 654 houses, while 19,080 people have been evacuated.
A total of 125 relief camps have been opened, and 16,987 beneficiaries have been covered in the free kitchens. Similarly, in Bhadrak district, over 80,000 people spread across 220 villages in five blocks were affected by the flood.
Around 5,330 people were shifted to safer locations, while 220 villages remain marooned. The district is operating 41 relief camps, with 5,330 people receiving cooked food. Besides, in Jajpur district, 11,156 people have been affected in 75 villages.
Rescue teams have evacuated 1,640 people, while floodwaters have damaged crops over 4,072 hectares. The district is running 20 relief camps, benefiting 3,807 people.
In Mayurbhanj, 2,487 people have been affected, 1,917 evacuated, and 87 houses damaged. Crops over 3,744 hectares have been affected, and 25 relief camps are operational, serving 1,518 people.
The flood has affected 88 people in Sambalpur district, where seven houses have been damaged.Officiall sources said that for rescue and relief operations, 2 NDRF teams, 12 ODRAF teams and 44 Fire Service teams have been deployed in the affected areas. The administration is closely monitoring the situation.