Bahanaga/Bhadrak: Heavy rains have led to floods in the Bhanaga area of Balasore as water level in river Baitarani started rising in Bhadrak district.
Reports said two houses in Gopalpur panchayat in Bahanaga block caved in and 20 families were marooned.
Many coastal villages and hectares of farmlands in Kharasahapur panchayat are waterlogged. The walls of three houses of Manu Panigrahi and those of Sanatan Nayak collapsed.
Some villagers have taken shelter at a relief centre in Apitira. Several families in Ward-16 of Panapana panchayat are surrounded by water.
Bahanaga tehsildar Devajani Bhuyan and some other revenue officials visited the villages Friday.
The administration said it is going to take steps for draining water from the area. Gopalpur panchayat is also facing floods and hundreds of hectares of farmlands are flooded.
Reports from Bhandraipokhari said hectares of farmlands were under water, and that Baitarani has started rising from Thursday night. The upper reaches of the river received heavy rainfall.
Executive engineer of Akhuapada anicut, Shankarshan Behera, said the water level in the river can go up to a maximum 17.89 metres, given the present intensity of rains. He denied the possibility of floods in the Bhandaripokhari area.
Thousands of people in 15 villages of four panchayats in Nilagiri block of Balasore district were marooned Friday. They remained cut off as roads were under water. The waters of river Sona flooded the seven panchayats of Ajodhya, Begunia, Machhua, Radhakishorepur, Kansa, Narasingapur and Tentulia.
The panchayats of Karanjia, Julapala, Badia, Kathapala, Junakoili, Khasapadia, Dumangdira, Kusanpur, Dubati, Patharbada and Nishangpur were also flooded.
Nilagiri Sub-Collector Aboli Sunil Narwane is keeping a close watch on the flood situation.
MLA Sukant Kumar Nayak, BDO Ramdas Tudu, additional tehsildar Rajesh Panda and former MLA Pratap Chandra Sadangi visited some of the villages. The people of Karnajai village were rescued.
Two gates of Kal Dam were opened and water level in Sona is a little below the danger mark.
The low pressure-induced heavy rain has led to collapse of several houses in Bahalda and Tiring blocks in Mayurbhanj district.
Reports from Udala said following heavy rains, Sona, Tangana and Deo rivers were in spate, flooding some villages under in block. Over 20 families were marooned as floodwater entered several villages. People in Jalda, Athanaga, Khuapal, Khaladi, Naharpada, Kaisari, Tinishulia, Jualia, Kochiladiha, Bairatpur and Kathapal were hit by flood.
It is learnt that the flood situation in the area has arisen after gates of Kal and Sunei dams were opened simultaneously. Sub-collector Bhagban Behera, tehsildar Rajendra Kar and BDO Pallabi Swain said all possible measures were being taken to deal with the situation.
Kolab dam opens 2 gates
Koraput: Kolab dam authorities Friday morning had to open two gates (gate no 5 and 6) with an alarming rise in water level in the reservoir due to heavy rainfall triggered by cyclone Daye. According to district emergency department sources, Koraput received 1,292.2 mm of rainfall Friday with Semilguda block recording the highest 207 mm of rain. Koraput block recorded 100.4 mm of rainfall while the amount of rainfall recorded in other areas included Lamtaput -128 mm, Pottangi-88 mm, Bandhugaon – 28.2 mm, Nandapur – 62 mm, Dasamantapur -21mm, Narayanpatna – 20 mm, Laxmipur – 50 mm, Jeypore -110.4 mm, Kotpad-144 mm, Kundra – 129.4 mm, Borigumma – 101.8 mm and Boipariguda – 102mm. Electricity service was hit in Koraput town with the uprooting of several trees in the area, a report said.
PNN