RAYAGADA: Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Asit Tripathy reviewed the flood scenario and took stock of the situation in Kalyansinghpur and Rayagada blocks of the district on Thursday.
Tripathy, who conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas in Rayagada, reviewed the damage caused by flash floods with the district officials at DRDA conference hall here.
Addressing mediapersons, Tripathy said he was satisfied with the rescue operations, distribution of relief and other restoration works initiated by the district administration and appreciated the services rendered by ODRAF team, CRPF, local police and Fire personnel. After incessant rains, two bridges and four bailey bridges were washed away in the flash floods. The Rural Works Division, Rayagada has assessed the damage at `24 crore and all restoration work will be competed by 2018, Tripathy said. He further informed that 92 of 119 flood-hit villages of both the blocks have been electrified and 9,400 affected households will get electricity connection by August 2.
Alert sounded in Bari
Jajpur: Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan on Thursday reviewed the flood scenario in the district and directed the administration to remain alert if the situation worsens, especially in Bari block, after opening of 12 gates of Rengali dam in the Brahmani river.
Balakrishnan reached Jajpur at about 2.30 pm and held a review meeting with the district officials. As water level of the Brahmani river is rising rapidly, he asked the district administration to keep boats ready to deal with relief and rescue operations in case of floods in Bari as the block is located in the low lying area of the Brahmani. He directed the officials to stock flattened rice and jaggery, make provision of safe drinking water, fodder for livestock and halogen tablets for the marooned areas.
8 gates of Hirakud Dam opened
Sambalpur: The Hirakud Dam authorities on Thursday opened four more gates of Hirakud Dam. At present, water is being released through eight sluice gates of the dam. At 6 pm on Thursday, the water level of Hirakud Dam Reservoir (HDR) stood at 608.47 feet against Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 630 feet. The flow into the reservoir was 1, 56,311 cusec and the outflow was 1, 42,703 cusec, including power channel and canals. The rainfall in the upstream of the dam in the last 24 hours has been recorded at 17.70 mm while 7.37 mm of rainfall has been registered in the downstream.