JAJPUR :More than 15,000 people were marooned after river Baitarani breached its embankment in the district on Tuesday. The people belonging to 12 villages of four gram panchayats under Dasarathapur block were marooned following a 100-foot breach in Baitarani right embankment at Patapur.
Jajpur Collector Anil Samal said following the breach, crop fields of thousands of hectares have been submerged under flood water. Around 6,000 people have been evacuated to safe places like schools, cyclone shelters, anganwadi centres and other structures. Free kitchens have been opened to provide cooked food to them, Samal added.
A family of eight members in Patapur could not be rescued till Tuesday evening as their house was located right in front of the breach. Sources said the flood water current was so strong that power boat could not reach there. The family members have taken shelter on the roof top. “A chopper has been requisitioned for rescuing the family members,” Samal said.
The district administration has also sought more power boats for relief and rescue operations.
Meanwhile, flood water in Baitarani has started receding, but it is flowing above the danger mark in both Akhuapada and Ballavi ghats.