RAYAGADA: Flood situation in Rayagada district improved on Monday with the upper catchment areas of Nagavali and Bansadhara rivers receiving less rainfall. The district received 74.69 mm rainfall with Gudari block registering the highest 122.4 mm and Gunupur the lowest of 22 mm in the last 24 hours.
Water level of both the rivers has come down. According to official sources, Bansadhara is flowing at 80.1 ft near Gunupur against the danger mark of 84.4 ft. Collector Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar said the administration is prepared to deal with any emergency. All the line department officials have been asked to stock food, medicines and cattle feed in their respective areas as per the requirement.
Restoration work has started at Paikadakulaguda under Bissamcuttack block and Hanumantpur in Chandrapur block. A bridge at Paikadakulaguda, a culvert near Hanumantpur and the approach road to Gudari bridge were washed away. District Emergency Officer Babita Dalabehera said as restoration works were underway, vehicular traffic on the affected routes would be restored by Tuesday.
The low pressure induced rainfall on Sunday had washed away three bridges in Kalyansinghpur block, bringing road transportation to a grinding halt. Flood water submerged the Rayagada-Andhra Pradesh road while the railway bridge between Therubali and Singapur Road station was washed away affecting communication through Titlagarh-Rayagada section.
In Raghubari gram panchayat under Muniguda block, the temporary road that was recently laid by the Rural Works Department was washed away. A portion of the approach road to Madugaon nullah between Dhelapada and Turiguda villages under Bissamcuttack block was also washed away. The Emergency Officer said at present, there is a two span culvert box near the approach road and another similar structure will be constructed on the portion that was washed away.
According to Rural Works division, eight PMGSY roads were partly damaged and works are underway to repair those. As the temporary bridge over Kalyani river in Kalyansinghpur block was washed away, the Health officials have set up a temporary camp at Badadurara Sahi in the block to attend to medical emergencies. A medical unit has been set up to help the flood-affected persons. In addition, the district administration has kept bike ambulances ready.
Flooded Udanti maroons villages
Bhawanipatna: As many as 14 persons were stranded when flood water from Udanti river entered Chapria village under Golamunda block of Kalahandi district on Monday morning. Ten of them were working at a mega lift irrigation project site and four villagers had gone to the low lying area with cattle for grazing when water from the river gushed in. They were stuck in the area for over six hours till fire fighters and ODRAF personnel rescued them. Water from the river also entered Dumria, Artal, Palna and Borda villages under Bhawanipatna block. In Bhawanipatna town, 100 families were shifted to safer places by the district administration.
In Kaipadar area under Thuamul Rampur, trees were uprooted disrupting vehicular communication. In other parts of the district, flood water in low-lying areas is yet to be cleared. Following heavy rain on Sunday, many areas were waterlogged including Bhawanipatna and diversion road on NH-59 near M Rampur was washed away, disrupting vehicular movement. Swelling Hati river flooded many areas in Narla, Bhawanipatna, Lanjigarh, M Rampur and Thuamul Rampur blocks.
Water entered agriculture fields in Biripur, Matikhal, Balichada and Karmel villages under Kalampur block. Extent of crop loss has not been ascertained yet. According to official reports, 297 mm of rain was registered in Bhawanipatna, 252 mm in Thuamul Rampur, 230.3 mm in Kalampur, 116 mm in Jaipatna, 195 mm in Junagarh, 248 mm in Koksara, 245.5 mm in Narla, 189 mm in M Rampur and 152.4 mm of rain in Lanjigarh in the last 24 hours. Collector Anjan Kumar Manik said field officials have been asked to keep a watch on the situation and damage assessment is underway.