BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday called for a ‘zero casualty’ approach as the state government stepped up rescue and relief measures and evacuated more than 2,000 people to safety after heavy rains triggered by a deep depression battered southern Odisha.
With the weather system approaching the coast, normal life was disrupted in at least 15 districts. People from vulnerable areas were shifted to shelters in Koraput, Ganjam and Gajapati as torrential rain triggered waterlogging, landslides, road blockades and damage to houses.
A major mishap was averted in Koraput town after a huge tree fell on National Highway-26, crushing a car and briefly disrupting vehicular movement towards Visakhapatnam and Raipur.
Stormwater entered low-lying villages in Gualigumuda and Chandili panchayats of Kotpad block, prompting the local administration to evacuate around 160 people. In Gajapati, around 1,300 people were shifted to temporary shelters as heavy rain continued for more than 36 hours, triggering landslides, road blockades and damage to kutcha houses.
Boulders that rolled onto a road snapped connectivity between Bastriguda gram panchayat and R Udayagiri. Road communication was also affected in Pariveta, Bauda and other areas due to landslides.
In Ganjam, three families had a narrow escape after their houses were damaged by incessant rain at Mantapada village under Haridapadar panchayat in Aska block. A temporary bridge at Manikpur in Dharakote was reportedly washed away after the Nandini rivulet overflowed.
The Kalinga Ghat stretch of NH-157 between Ganjam and Kandhamal was closed by local authorities for two days owing to heavy rain and the risk of landslides.
Earlier, Majhi reviewed the preparedness of the administration and directed all departments concerned to coordinate closely with district administrations to tackle the situation, with maximum emphasis on protecting lives and property.
The chief minister asked officials to maintain the highest level of preparedness and take all precautionary measures, even though there is no threat of a cyclone at present.
The special relief commissioner’s office said 33 ODRAF teams had been deployed in vulnerable districts to strengthen rescue and relief operations, wherever required.
IMD officials said the deep depression had triggered extremely heavy rainfall in Koraput. The district received around 120 mm of rain in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, with Semiliguda recording the highest rainfall of 230 mm during the period. Jeypore received more than 160 mm, while Berhampur in Ganjam recorded around 150 mm. Coastal Balasore also received around 126 mm of rain.
Met officials said heavy rainfall is likely in Nabarangpur and parts of Bargarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri on Thursday as the system gradually weakens into a depression. Weather conditions are likely to improve after September 25.
