Odisha flood situation grim, 16 dead

Bhubaneswar: At least 16 people have died in flood-related incidents in Odisha, where the situation remained grim even as major rivers were receding on Saturday.

Two deaths each were reported from Bhadrak, Jajpur and Nayagarh districts while in worst-hit Ganjam district it remained unchanged at six and four in Jagatsinghpur, Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra told reporters here after the situation was reviewed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. "All the deaths were due to wall collapse and drowning," Mohapatra said. Major rivers like Rusikulya, Godahada and Vansadhara were flowing below the danger mark, he said. The Chief Minister said that the incessant rains and floods have caused severe damage to public and private property and standing crop. He announced three-day relief for the affected people as per provisions under the Relief Code. It would be distributed in Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts, SRC office sources said.