Heavy rain wreaks havoc in many districts of Odisha, 7 dead, 2 missing; flood fear in many areas

Bhubaneswar: As heavy rainfall continues to trigger parts of Odisha,7 persons have died and 2 are missing in the last 3 days in the state. The heavy rain has created flood-like situation in many districts.

Addressing media Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena said ,"Due to heavy rainfall and flooding, 7 persons died in last 3 days--4 from Mayurbhanj district, 2 from Keonjhar and 1 from Sundergarh district and 2 persons are missing. Districts namely Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Boudh, Kendrapara and Sonepur have received maximum rain and facing a flood-like situation.''

 Bhadrak DM on Friday said, ''There's a consistent rise in water level. Due to heavy rain too almost all blocks are affected, vast patches of agricultural land submerged. Officials are assessing submerged crop area. NDRF, ODRF, fire services deployed. Senior officers deployed to supervise evacuation.''

Special Relief Commissioner Jena had informed that nearly  7,000 people evacuated from low lying and vulnerable areas and shifted to safer areas. 

Major rivers such as Baitarani, Brahmani, Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga are in spate with their water flowing above the danger-mark, submerging low-lying areas and paddy fields in several districts

On Thursday (August 27) Jena said, ''A low to medium flood is expected in Bramhani, Baiarani and Subarnarekha river system, Flood like situation may also arise in the Mahanadi river as the IMD has predicted heavy rainfall in the upper catchment area (Chhattisgarh and Western Odisha districts) in the next 24 hours.''

Meanwhile, the well-marked low-pressure area over north interior Odisha has now moved to southwest Jharkhand, the Meteorological Centre said.

This is the fifth low-pressure area formed over the Bay of Bengal this month. Four back-to-back low-pressure systems on August 4, 9, 13 and 19 have caused heavy rainfall in the state.

(With agency input)