Phulbani/Malkangiri: A woman and her daughter died while her husband and son were critically injured after wall of their house collapsed due to heavy rain at Tridev Nagar in Phulbani Town of Kandhamal district, Thursday. The deceased were identified as Surati Majhi, 42, and her daughter Smitarani Majhi, 5. The injured were identified as Surati’s husband Brajabandhu Majhi, 45, and their 3-year-old son Rohan Majhi. Reports said Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Ganjam and various parts of the state have been witnessing heavy rain for the last three days.
Sources said Brajabandhu’s family originally belongs to Banighochaa village in Nayagarh, but they have been staying in Phulbani town for the last five years. The couple used to work as daily wagers. The four were having their lunch at 2pm when the wall of their mud house came crashing down on them. It was stated that the wall of a neighbouring house first collapsed on the wall of Barajabandhu’s house, leading to the tragic incident. Locals immediately informed the fire services personnel who along with some volunteers rescued them and sent them to the district headquarters hospital (DHH).
However, the woman and the minor daughter were declared dead at the DHH. SDPO Mahendranath Murmu, tehsildar Dinamani Nayak and Phulbani municipality chairperson Smitarani Mohanty took stock of the situation. Meanwhile, reports from Malkangiri said rivers and creeks in the district have been swelling due to incessant rains. Rivers like Sileru, Saberi, Potteru and Kankurukonda are flowing above the danger mark. Riparian pockets are most likely to witness floods, if the rains continue to lash the district in next 24 hours. Water as deep as five ft has been flowing on NH-326 near Kaleru village for the last four days, disrupting communication between Andhra Pradesh and Motu. It is said that Motu area is likely to see massive floods with Godavari river flowing above the danger mark. All the schools in the district have been declared closed.
Notably, 39 families affected by landslide in Nuapalli village under R Udayagiri block in Gajapati district have been shifted by the administration to safer places. At least 10 houses were damaged due to landslide in Gajapati district.