Sambalpur/Bolangir/Kalahandi/Rayagada: Heavy rainfall wreaked havoc in Bolangir, Boudh, Kandhamal and Rayagada districts Tuesday. While several villages were flooded normal life was thrown out of gear after the transportation network was disrupted.
People of Bolangir and several other adjoining areas were marooned and the district administration ordered closure of all educational institutions. ODRAF teams launched operations to shift people from low lying areas to safer places.
Baliguda in Kandhamal district was the worst affected. As per reports, a temporary culvert at Bataguda on NH-59 was washed away disrupting road traffic between Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Rayagada. Schools were closed in Bargarh, Nuapada and Kalahandi too.
In Boudh, flood threat loomed large in Kantamal block after two days of rains. Several villages of the region are marooned after water level swelled in Tel and Khadag Rivers. Communication was also disrupted between Kantamal-Manmunda and Kantamal-Baliguda areas.
Reports from Kalahandi said, Many villages in Karlamunda and Kesinga blocks are marooned after heavy rains lashed Kalahandi district Tuesday. Hundreds of people have taken shelter at various places in the block.
Sapalhara panchayat is inundated. Around 10 houses in the panchayat were damaged. Forty families of the village have been accommodated at a nearby school.
The movement of vehicles between Sadar block PWD Road to Karlamunda Road, Tersinga to Rishida, Badadungiriguda to M. Rampur Road and Sarabahali to Khaliapali Road has been disrupted as bridges are submerged.
A total of 608 mm rain was recorded in the block. No action has been taken by the block administration to help the flood affected so far.
In the Kesinga block of the district the main road has been cut off. According to Central Water Commission (CWC), Kesinga recorded 157 mm rain.
Since two days about 30 Lord Siva devotees are stuck at the Belkhandi Siva Temple as the temple is waterlogged.
Sources said the temple is located at the confluence of Tel and Utteai Rivers. As water levels in the two rivers have increased around 12,000 people in nearby villages are flooded. Rescue operations by ODRAF are going on at the Siva temple.
Kesinga BDO and his team have arranged cooked food for flood affected people.
Due to heavy flow of water on railway tracks, the Sambalpur-Rayagada Express was halted at Barapali, Ajmer-Puri Express at Loisinga and Ispat Express at Dunguripalli. Train services will resume as soon as water recedes, ECoR officials said.
East Coast Railway (ECoR) officials said, “Due to water flowing over the track at many places between Deogaon Road – Bargarh, Loisinga-Bolangir and in Barpalli –Dunguripalli Stations in Sambalpur-Titilagarh Railway Section, the operation of trains have been suspended. Train services will resume when water recedes.”
PNN