BHUBANESWAR: A youth died after being swept away in a nullah while his brother and another villager got stuck in flash floods when they attempted to trace him in Bhadrak district. The deceased Hemant Jena of Dakhina Korua village left his house on Friday morning to answer nature’s call but was swept away. His body was recovered on Saturday.
Hemant’s brother Srikanta Jena (20) and some other villagers, including a 19-year-old youth Manmatha Jena (19) launched a frantic search to trace him on Friday but got stuck in the strong water current. Srikanta and Manmatha climbed on a tree and on receiving information, Dhamnagar police station IIC Ratikanta Giri, ASI Maheswar Pradhan and a team of NDRF proceeded to the spot in a power boat. The two youths were rescued and sent to Dakhina Korua.
Similarly, Dhamnagar police and an ODRAF team rushed to the rescue of a pregnant woman of Koleipada village on the day. The woman went into labour and was brought to the power boat in a stretcher. “Koleipada village was submerged in flood water and its road communication with Dhamnagar snapped. Madhusmita Pani, wife of Ramesh Panda, is pregnant and needed immediate medical attention,” said Giri. She was then rushed to Dhamnagar community health centre (CHC) and is under treatment there.
Police also rescued a woman, Sanjulata Das of Karada village on Thursday evening after she was bitten by a snake but her family members could not take her to hospital due to the floods. She was rescued, sent to Dhamnagar CHC in a police vehicle and later referred to Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital. Odisha Fire Service teams have also been engaged to carry out rescue operation in flood affected Bhadrak and other districts of the State.
Dhamnagar fire station rescued a man from a tree on Friday night, and a pregnant woman of Bayangadihi gram panchayat who was rushed to a hospital on Saturday. Another pregnant woman of Bodak gram panchayat was rescued by Tihidi fire station personnel. So far, Odisha Fire Service personnel have rescued 556 flood-affected persons including two pregnant women and as many patients.