Bhubaneswar: With seven more deaths, the
toll in the current spell of Orissa flood rose to 27, as the
state government on Tuesday intensified relief operation in over
1,100 marooned villages.
Special Relief Commissioner PK Mohapatra said the toll
which stood at 20 last night, mounted to 27 after Revenue and
Disaster Management minister SN Patro reviewed the situation
at a meeting.
A maximum of seven casualties were reported in Jajpur
district followed by six in Bhadrak district, the SRC said.
Over 22 lakh people were affected in the second spell of
flood in Brahmani, Baitarani, Subarnarekha, Budhabalang and
their tributaries, he said.
The toll in the first spell of flood this year in the
Mahanadi river system was 41, Mohapatra said.
Meanwhile, with the flood water receding fast in swollen
Brahmani and other rivers, the Orissa government today
intensified relief operation in the marooned areas.
The people in the marooned villages will be given cooked
food till water completely recedes from their villages, Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik said.
The Orissa government also withdrew two choppers from
air-dropping food items as most of the 588 marooned villages
of Jajpur were accessible by boats, the SRC said.
Two Navy choppers were also sent back, he said.
The chief minister visited the flood affected areas of
Sambalpur and Subarnapur today while the central team
comprising four members from Road Transport and Highways,
Agriculture, Health and Water Resources ministries toured
devastated areas in western Orissa.
So far, 37.016 quintals of rice, 3,144 quintals
of parched rice and 148 qunital of molasses were distributed
among the flood-hit people, the SRC said.
While 1,73,337 people had been provided free food in
542 free kitchens after their evacuation, the state government
was now focusing on Jajpur and Kendrapara districts.
Though water level in the worst-hit Bari block of
Jajpur district receded by one foot, the situation remained
grim in Aul, Rajnagar, Rajkanika and Pattamundai areas of
Kendrapara district located in lower catchment area of
Brahmani.
"Though water level is not rising in Kendrapara
district, the flood situation remained grave as water
discharge is very slow due to new moon day," the minister said
Meanwhile, the chief minister demanded 2400 kilo litre
additional kerosene due to the flood. In a letter to union
minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jaipal Reddy, Patnaik
said that requirement of more kerosene was being felt in flood
affected districts.
Besides personnel of NDRF (National disaster respnse
force), the government deployed members of Orissa Disaster
Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and fire brigade in rescue and
search operation, he said.
PTI
