JEYPORE: The flood situation in various parts of Koraput district was gradually improving as the water levels of major rivers, including Indravati, Kurlu, Bori, Kolab, Patali and Machhkund receded on Tuesday.
This brought a sigh of relief to the residents of the riverbank areas of Jeypore, Kundra, Borigumma, Lamtaput and Kotpad. Normal life was slowly returning in affected areas like Digapur, Ghumar and Masigaon panchayats of Kundra block, with no significant rainfall recorded in the river catchment areas on the day.
However, around 50 km of rural roads in Kundra block have been damaged due to continuous rainfall and water overflow.
Agriculture and Revenue department teams have initiated damage survey in the affected areas of five blocks of Jeypore, Kotpad, Kundra, Boipariguda, and Borigumma. Residents of Kundra block urged for restoration and relief before revenue and block officials at a grievance camp in Digapur.
RDC (south) Roopa Roshan Sahoo reviewed the flood situation with district officials and directed the administration to undertake restoration and relief measures in the affected areas.
Koraput collector V Keerthi Vasan said the situation in rain-hit areas is normalising, with waterlogging receding considerably. District emergency office sources said damage assessment is underway in various rain-hit areas.
The authorities of Jalaput dam reservoir closed a gate on the day, releasing 21,000 cusec water through five gates into the spillway canal. Officials are monitoring the situation and damage surveys are underway, he said. The collector emphasised that all departments have been instructed to remain vigilant round-the-clock until the rains stop.
A BJD team, comprising former MLA Chandra Sekhar Majhi and Zilla Parishad vice- president Radha Govind Samantaray visited flood-affected areas in Kundra block and demanded immediate allocation of houses to affected individuals.