BHAWANIPATNA/JEYPORE: Body of one of the two siblings swept away by the overflowing Thengapada nullah in Thuamul Rampur block was recovered on Friday even as heavy rains continued to lash Kalahandi, disrupting normal life across the district.
The deceased was identified as Pradip Dash of Bhawanipatna. Sources said Pradip and his brother were returning to Bhawanipatna from Thuamul Rampur on a motorcycle after participating in Dussehra celebrations on Thursday evening. Near Semlipadar, the duo was reportedly swept away in the floodwater of Thengapada Nala. Pradip’s body has been sent to the hospital for postmortem while search for his brother is underway.
Sources said roads have been damaged at several places in Thuamul Rampur due to the torrential rain since the last two days. Besides, uprooted trees have blocked roads, disrupting communication in many areas of the block.
Heavy rain also caused landslides on Mukhiguda-Mahulpatna ghat road and Mohangiri-Jamuli road. The local administration has initiated restoration work on a war-footing to clear the debris on both the routes.
Damages to houses have been reported from Labensar and Damodarpur of Bhawanipatna block, Themra of Kesinga and Dumerguda of Junagarh. More than 50 people including four pregnant women of Sorishmahal village under Deydhar panchayat in Junagarh block have been shifted to the local school due to flashflood in Deydhar nullah.
Due to heavy rains in the catchment areas, water level of Indravati reservoir has increased substantially. The reservoir level has reached 640.32 metre against its maximum capacity of 642 metre, said sources.
Hati river has breached its banks, leading to floods in the nearby areas. Paddy fields and low-lying areas in Matikhal, Biripur, Balichada, Temra, Karmel, Nuagaon, Bankapala in Kalampur and Baldiamal in Junagarh have been submerged.
Kalahandi collector Sachin Pawar is reportedly camping at Sorishamal village to monitor relief and rescue operations. Pawar said one ODRAF team and fire services personnel have been kept in readiness. Officials of all the line departments have also been put on alert and asked to repair the damaged roads and carry out damage assessment at the earliest, he added.
Official sources said in the last 24 hours, Thuamul Rampur received 354 mm rainfall followed by Junagarh (266 mm), Kalampur (120.3 mm), Jaipatna (104 mm), Karlamunda (109 mm), Bhawanipatna (106.9 mm), Narla (136 mm) and Lanjigarh (111.4 mm).