BHUBANESWAR/MAKANGIRI: Torrential rains triggered by the deep depression left Malkangiri district grappling with a flood-like situation as large parts of the district remained cut off from both Odisha and Andhra Pradesh ends on Monday.
Over 1,800 people had to be shifted to safer places as storm water submerged roads and bridges, inundating may areas in two blocks of the district which received an average of 185 mm rainfall with Malkangiri block recording 253 mm.
The intensity of rain dropped by Monday evening but by then Malkangiri had faced the wrath of two days rainfall leading to submergence of low-lying bridges at Pangam, MV-7, Potteru, MV-90, Kangrukonda on NH-326. A bridge near Kalimela Government SSD Girls High school was overtopped by storm water snapping communication between Kalimela, Podia and Chhattisgarh. Link between Balimela and Andhra Pradesh through Chitrakonda remained cut off as the old Piligada bridge on Odisha side was washed away. In two schools, inmates of hostels were shifted to the panchayat offices as water entered the premises.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the situation and held discussions with Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari. He deputed DG, Fire Services Sundhansu Sarangi, Principal Secretary to SSEPD department Bishnupada Sethi and DIG, southern range Charan Meena to Malkangiri to supervise and assist district administration in disaster management.
Speaking to mediapersons, special relief commissioner Deoranjan Kumar Singh said more than 504 people were evacuated to safer places in Malkangiri. Six villages in Malkangiri and Kalimela blocks were most affected. Low-lying areas in Malkangiri town experienced waterlogging and some families were shifted to safer places, he said.
Malkangiri faces rain fury, over 1,800 evacuated
Five teams of Odisha Fire and Emergency Service have been deployed in Malkangiri to carry out rescue and relief operations with district officials and other agencies.
In Koraput, which initially faced the impact of the rain bearing weather system, about 36 villages in six blocks were affected. More than 56 people were evacuated and shifted to relief camps. Three teams of ODRAF are stationed in the district.
Road communication was also affected at six places in Koraput but the flood water is gradually receding and the situation is improving there, said Singh. He also said coastal districts are also on alert and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are on stand-by to handle any emergency situation arising due to the heavy rains.