Heavy rains trigger flood in west, south Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Harbhanga/Bargarh/Nayagarh, Aug 1:

Heavy rains have triggered flood in western and south Odisha districts.

Reports from Boudh district said that the floodwaters of Bagha and Salonki rivers, Laxmi and Kapakhai nullahs have rendered over thousands of villagers homeless. Besides, over thousands of acres of paddy fields have been submerged.

Besides, several roads, houses and minor irrigation projects have been badly damaged.

A 70-year-old minor irrigation project at Birigada village under Tikapada panchayat of Boudh block was swept away by the raging floodwater last night while the backwater of Bagha barrage at Sagada has entered 15 villages.

Telecom and power connectivity has been snapped in most areas in the district due to heavy flood.

Reports from Bargarh district said the Jira river was flowing above the danger mark.

Train services between Bolangir and Sambalpur were disrupted on Thursday due to overflowing of floodwater at a height of around two feet over the railway bridge no-235 between Dunguripali and Barpali railway station near Mahada village as a result of which Bolangir-Bhubaneswar Inter City Express, Jagdalpur-Howrah Samaleswari Express and Sambalpur-Koraput Passenger trains were detained.

However, train services were normalized after 9.15 PM, reports said.

In Nayagarh, road communication was disrupted between Khordha and Bhapur due to overflowing of floodwater of Kaligira river at Kaligira bridge.

Besides, floodwater has also submerged thousands of acres of agricultural fields in Bhapur block.

In Ranpur, the floodwater of Hada river at Rajsunakhala has entered Lodhachua, Gopalpur, Darpanarayanpur, Bhetabara, Bandhamunda, Mayurjhalia and Narsinghpur villages along the river embankment.

The reports also said that several breaches have also taken place along the river and canal embankments.