CUTTACK: Cuttack district has been one of the worst hit in the prevailing flood situation in the State as several areas of Banki, Damapada, Badamba, Narasinghpur, Tigiria and Athagarh blocks have been marooned. Moreover, the communication link to most of the affected villages has been snapped because of 3-5 feet of floodwater running over important roads at different places in the district.
Mancheswar-Nuapatana road, Kakhadi-Bramhanabasta and old Cuttack-Sambalpur roads are submerged in Athagarh block; RD road from Talabasta to Bilipada, main roads to Kuspangi, Sukhuakhala, road from Shimilipur to Bilipada via Jorakula in Damapada block have remained cut off. Similarly, communication link to several areas in Banki remain cut off with floodwater overflowing over Huluhula Nullah near Govindpur, Chandrapa Nullah and Jatamundia bridge.
A 71-year-old man of Gayalbanka went missing after he slipped and was swept away in Mahanadi while taking bath at Devidwar ghat on Wednesday. According to a preliminary report of the district administration, as many as 1,92,624 people of 333 villages belonging to 95 gram panchayats in 11 blocks and 2 ULBs have been affected by the flood in Mahanadi and its tributary rivers such as Kathajodi, Luna, Chitroptala and Birupa.
Banki, Damapada, Badamba, Narasinghpur, Tigiria and Athagarh are the worst affected blocks of Cuttack district, where 136 villages have been marooned. “Many people who are found to have taken shelter on the roof of their buildings in the marooned pockets are not interested to shift to safer places,” said a fire service personnel engaged in evacuation and rescue operation in Banki.
Three ODRAF teams have been deployed in Banki, Damapada and Kantapada blocks. Considering the situation, a NDRF team and two fire service response teams have also been deployed in Banki.
While, 53,096 people have so far been evacuated to 80 shelters set up in the worst affected blocks, free kitchen have been set up at 35 marooned pockets for three days.
As many as 28 mobile health teams, 14 mobile veterinary teams have been deployed to provide necessary health service to people and their domestic animals, Cuttack Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani informed. However, he added that the situation is not so dangerous as the water level is receding.
District Education Officer Krushna Chandra Nayak said 96 schools have been affected by the flood in the district where classes have been suspended. Highest 31 schools have been affected in Damapada block followed by 19 in Banki block.
“All BEOs have been instructed to keep a close tab on the situation and to take immediate steps for suspension of classes if the flood situation poses threat,” said Nayak.
Two stranded in Mahanadi island rescued
Cuttack : ODRAF team rescued a man and his son who were trapped in floodwaters at an island in the middle of Mahanadi river in Athagarh block on Wednesday. The rescued man Dharyadhar Dalei and his son Arjun of Kandarpur had gone to Amangei Kuda, an island in Mahanadi river near their village in a country boat for grazing their goats on August 12, but got trapped due to sudden rise in water level. On being informed, the district administration sent an ODRAF team, which started the rescue operation on Wednesday.
Schools on alert amid heavy rain forecast
Bhubaneswar: The School and Mass Education department has asked all education officers to remain prepared for heavy rains from August 18 to 20 in wake of the low pressure alert by IMD. The district education officers, district project coordinators and block education officers have been asked not to leave their headquarters. The department has directed all the headmasters to allow use of MDM food grains, if necessary, by the district administration which will be recouped from the SRC and also allow use of school buildings for shelter and relief distribution.
OUAT issues advisory for flood-hit farmers
Bhubaneswar: The OUAT has issued an advisory to the farmers of the flood-affected areas. As kharif crops in the flood affected districts are submerged, the Directorate of Agriculture and Food Production has directed the Chief District Agriculture Officers to advise the farmers how to save the existing crops or give a plan for alternative crops after floodwater recedes. The field officials of the Agriculture department have been asked to advise the farmers to drain out the excess water and hold up the application of fertilizer and pesticide.