‘Slight improvement’ in flood situation

Bhubaneswar, Oct 27:

With water level in some rivers receding, except Subarnarekha in Balasore district, Odisha government today said the flood situation has slightly improved though about one lakh people remained marooned in worst-hit Ganjam district and the death toll stood at 19.

“All the deaths were caused by wall collapse and drowning,” Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra said.

The rise in the water level of Subarnarekha and Jalaka emerged as a new cause of concern for the state government. The water level in Subarnarekha river was 10.99 m against the danger level of 10.36 m, official sources said.

The flood water of Jalaka has washed away the road between Baliapal and Basta in north Balasore area.

On the situation in Ganjam district, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patro said, “The people in 22 gram panchayats are encircled by flood waters of river Rushikulya and river Kharkhai.”

Patro, who visited two gram panchayats in Digapahandi block in Ganjam district, said the people in affected villages were being served with cooked food and dry foods.

He said tomorrow would be sunny as the low pressure would shift to the sea by tonight.

The low pressure induced rains led to rise in the water level in Subarnarekha river though water levels in Budhabalang and Jalaka rivers have been receding in Mayurbhanj district, the special relief commissioner said.

Above 30 lakh people were affected in 13 districts, the sources said.

The rains caused second phase of floods and affected relief operation and cyclone restoration works. The first phase of flood was triggered by the cyclone Phailin. About 9,000 people were still in the relief camps in Ganjam and Mayurbhanj districts, Mohapatra said.(PTI)