8,000 people evacuated as heavy rain batters Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Parts of Odisha were lashed by heavy rain under the influence of a deep depression that made landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, prompting the State government to evacuate people living in low-lying and landslide-prone areas, officials said. Amid fears of floods and landslides in the southern districts due to the downpour, the State government deputed two senior ministers — Rabi Narayan Naik (Panchayati Raj) and Gokulananda Mallik (Fisheries) — to Koraput and Gajapati districts, respectively, to oversee arrangements to deal with the situation.

As reports of more rain and waterlogging poured in from southern districts, the Sate government asked two more ministers — Bibhuti Bhusan Jena (Transport) and Nityananda Gond (School and Mass Education) — to visit Ganjam and Nabarangpur districts, respectively.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said four senior officers had also been rushed to the affected districts to monitor relief operations and assess the damage. He said the ongoing rains triggered by the deep depression had affected six districts — Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Nabarangpur.

Pujari said the ruling BJP had also asked party MLAs whose constituencies had been identified as vulnerable to visit their respective areas and assist the local administration. Keeping in view Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s direction to ensure “zero casualty”, Pujari said, “We have evacuated 8,082 people by Thursday noon, and the process is continuing. The district collectors have been asked to shift people from vulnerable waterlogging areas.”

Asserting that the situation was under control, Pujari said reports of uprooted trees, landslides, waterlogging, road blockades and rainwater overflowing onto roads had been received from the affected districts. However, there was no report of any injury or casualty so far, he said.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that rainfall intensity would increase as the system was likely to enter Odisha near Koraput in the evening. It said heavy rain would continue for the next two days.

An average of 70 mm of rainfall was recorded in the State in the 24 hours till 8.30 am on Thursday, with Semiliguda in Koraput district recording the highest rainfall of 193.9 mm, IMD sources said. At least 17 places across the State received more than 100 mm of rainfall. The weather office issued a red alert, asking authorities to “take action”, and forecast more than 20 cm of rainfall in Nabarangpur district.

Six other districts — Baragada, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri — were placed under an orange alert, with heavy rainfall of 12-20 cm forecast over the next 24 hours. A yellow alert was issued for nine other districts — Baleshwar, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Subarnapur, Boudh, Kandhamala and Rayagada — for the possibility of 7-11 cm of rainfall.

The IMD said squally weather conditions would prevail along coastal areas, with winds gusting up to 70 kmph, and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till Friday morning. Meanwhile, a report from Malkangiri said 4-5 feet of rainwater was flowing over four low-level bridges — Poteru, Kangurukonda, Kanyashram and MV-90 — on National Highway 326.

As a result, vehicular movement on the Malkangiri-Motu National Highway had been completely stopped. Communication to Kalimela, Motu and Padia blocks had also been cut off, while hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the bridges.

Officials said the bridge on the Malkangiri-Chhattisgarh road was also submerged. Water levels in the Balimela, Satiguda and Jalaput reservoirs had increased.

The Balimela-Chitrakonda ghat road was closed due to heavy water flow in the upper nala and the risk of landslides. Tribal-dominated Koraput also received heavy rain in the last 24 hours. However, officials said there were no reports of casualties, injuries or major disruption to traffic in the district.

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