BHUBANESWAR: The depression over Odisha coast brought the season’s first deluge-like situation as extreme heavy rainfall lashed southern districts of the state with Malkangiri bearing the brunt in the last 24 hours.
The southern-most district which received 183 mm rain grappled with problems of inundation and communication disruption. The district headquarters town of Malkangiri remained cut off from the state as well as neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said Malkangiri district administration, special relief commissioner’s (SRC) office and Revenue and Disaster Management department have been asked to remain alert and shift people from the areas likely to witness a rise in water level.
The districts have been directed to shift the people, if required, to safer places and make adequate food and other arrangements for them. The authorities concerned have also been instructed to help such people to return to their villages after the situation improves, Pujari said.
On Saturday morning, some bridges in low-lying areas of Korukonda, MV-19 and MV-96 villages were submerged under water which further paralysed road communication. Malkangiri town too, witnessed waterlogging due to which people had to be shifted to safer places.
“However, everything is under control and the rainwater is expected to recede from the villages experiencing flooding, within the next 24 hours,” the minister said further adding that the authorities have been asked to give him hourly updates regarding the situation.
Neigbouring Koraput, Nabarangpur, Ganjam and Gajapati were also lashed by heavy rains but Malkangiri was badly hit. Kudumulguma and Korukonda received 220 mm rainfall each between Friday and Saturday morning, Malkangiri recorded 180 mm rain and Maithli and Kotpad 160 mm each, the India Meteorological Department informed.
Assuring that people are safe, Pujari said the rainfall activity was required to boost agriculture in districts like Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur.
Though the condition is expected to improve by Sunday, SRC Satyabrata Sahu has asked the collectors to strictly prohibit the movement of vehicles on flooded roads and bridges till the water completely recedes.
The Water Resources department on the day informed that there was no apprehension of floods and the situation was under control.
Meanwhile, the depression moved northwestwards in the last six hours and weakened into a well-marked low pressure area over coastal Odisha at 5.30 pm on Saturday. The system is likely to move northwestwards across Odisha and Chhattisgarh and gradually weaken into a low pressure area during next 24 hours, it added.
The met office has issued heavy rainfall warning for Balangir, Nuapada, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Cuttack and three other districts on Sunday. Due to the system, Odisha received 29.3 mm rains between Friday and Saturday morning which was a staggering 144 per cent surplus than the average rainfall during the period.