In Balangir, following heavy rains water has entered Patneswari temple. The daily rituals of the deity could not be conducted on Wednesday due to waterlogging. The town received 173 mm of rain in the last 24 hours.
Normal life was affected after torrential rain hit parts of the Kalahandi district. Several areas of Bhawanipatna under ward numbers 8, 9, 13, 19 and 20 witnessed waterlogging. Knee-deep water entered the District Information and Public Relations office here.
Reports of damage to houses poured in from Bhawanipatna, M.Rampur, Narla and Jaipatna blocks. In Bimla village under Jaipatna block, the wall of the house of Laxman Naik collapsed and his wife and five children were rescued from under the debris by villagers. Two minor children were admitted to Jaipatna CHC with injuries and later shifted to Bhawanipatna Government Hospital.
In Kendrapara, the rehabilitation colony at Bagapatia built by the government six years back for the sea-erosion-hit villagers of Satabhaya gram panchayat under Rajnagar block is amid water after incessant rains for the past four days.
Meanwhile, the water level of river Brahmani at Rourkela in the past 24 hours further rose from 172.620 meters to 173.830 meters by 8 pm on Wednesday. The danger level of the river is 178.420 meters. In anticipation of heavy rains continuing further, Sundargarh collector Parag Harshad Gavali has directed the closure of all schools in Sundargarh district including Anganwadi centres on Thursday.
Koraput district recorded about 397 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours resulting swelling of rivers in the district. The district administration has asked revenue and block-level officials to be in alert as water levels might inundate areas if rains continue.
Severe water-logging was witnessed in several parts of Sambalpur district on Wednesday after incessant rainfall for more than 24 hours. In the Maneswar area, vehicular movement was disrupted on Wednesday as Malti joy overflowed on the bridge at Gunderpur. Flood water also entered into the sanctum sanctorum of the Mandhata Baba temple in Maneswar area.
Emergency officer, Sambalpur, Aditya Panda said, “At least 38 villages of 25 GPs of the district are inundated due to heavy rainfall. In Naktideul, cooked food was provided to over 195 affected people. This apart four relief centres have been opened in the district. Those in highly affected areas are being shifted to the relief centres.”
In Sambalpur city limits, the low-lying areas of the city Mandlia, Khandual, Naxapali and parts of Dhankauda reported severe water-logging.In Angul district, around 250 people of the village Kudagaon are surrounded by flood water from the Mahanadi river after incessant rain. Authorities are making efforts to evacuate people to safer areas. According to reports, 190 mm of rainfall was recorded across the district.
—Sambalpur, Balangir, Bhawanipatna, Kendrapara, Rourkela, Angul and Koraput