Record 380 mm rainfall creates havoc in Odisha’s Sambalpur city

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Sambalpur, Aug 3:

Torrential rain measuring a whopping 380 mm literally drowned the western Odisha city of Sambalpur on Sunday , rendering 4000 people homeless and affecting 25,000 others.

The phenomenal downpour that appeared to be a cloudburst of sorts, resulted in the submergence of all roads in the city, which was virtually floating on a vast sheet of water.

The rain water gushed in from all directions and flooded almost every residential area and entered the houses causing great hardship to the people.

” Sambalpur received 380 mm rain, probably the highest any place recorded in the state this rainy season. The rainwater flooded roads and low-lying areas of the town after heavy downpour.At least 25,000 people have been affected by the rains and 4,000 of them have been given shelter at the relief camps,”  district emergency officer Nihar Ranjan Das said.

He said although steps are being taken to drain out water from the water-logged areas, the task was proving to be a huge challenge.

“The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed to carry out relief and rescue operations. Volunteers from 12 non-government organisations are also helping the victims,” Das added.

“Under the influence of cyclonic circulation over Northwest Bay of Bengal, a low pressure area has formed over the bay and neighbouring areas,” said an official of the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre.

“As a result, rain would occur at most places in the state during next two days. Some places in north and south Odisha could witness heavy to extremely heavy rainfall during the period,” he added.

Normal life was also disrupted in many other places including state capital Bhubaneswar and its adjoining Cuttack city.

( with additional inputs from IANS)