Rajashree Dash
Jajpur: The flood situation in Jajpur district continued to be grim on Saturday. All ten blocks in the district have been badly affected by floods as three major rivers of the district are still flowing above their respective danger level, officials said.
The situation is grim in Bari, Rasulpur, Jajpur, Binjharpur, Dasarathapur, Dharmasala and Korei blocks in the district as over 400 villages under 104 gram panchayats of those seven blocks are marooned by the flood water of Baitarani, Brahmani, Kharasrota and Kani, a tributary of Batarani and Kelua, a branch of Brahmani river for the last two days.
Two deaths have been reported from the flood hit areas. While one person died after a wall of his house fell on him in Panasa panchayat under Jajpur block, a woman died of snake bite in Jokadia village under Rasulpur block while she was in her marooned house on Friday.
Flood water from Brahmani river washed away a two-storey building in Sahapada area under Rasulpur block on Friday. However, the occupants of the building had moved to safety.
Over four lakh people of 530 villages under 124 gram panchayats of all ten blocks of the district have been affected in the flood caused by the Brahmani, Baitarani, Kharasrota, Kani, Budha and Kelua rivers, said officials.
Many villages of Bari, Rasulpur, Dasarathapur, Binjharpur and Jajpur blocks of the district have been cut off-from the rest of the world.
Road link between Bari and Kuakhia, Jajpur town and Bhandaripokhari, Bari and Kaipara, Bari and Ratnagiri have been cut off as these roads are under neck deep water caused by the floods.
Breaches in embankments of Baitarani, Brahmani, Kharasrota, Kani and Kelua rivers were reported at 24 different places in Bari, Rasulpur, Jajpur, Dasarathapur, Binjharpur and Dharmasala blocks areas thereby causing extensive damage.
“With three major rivers of the district flowing above the danger mark, over 4 lakh people in the district are affected. The trio rivers are still flowing above the danger level. Although the water in Baitarani has been receding since morning, still it is flowing above the danger level,” said Jajpur Collector Ranjan Kumar Das.
The collector said as many as 126 free kitchens have been opened for the affected people in marooned areas and relief is being provided in some places.
“We have evacuated around 24000 people to safer places. Since there has been not much rain since yesterday, therefore we are waiting for the water to recede and the flood situation in the district is under control,” he pointed out.
Das said that two teams each from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Service have been deployed in rescue and relief operations in different places in the district adding 19 boats have been pressed into services in the flood affected areas.
The Collector further informed that the district administration has received information on another flood is expected in the Mahanadi river system and it would take another two days to reach.
“If that happens, mostly Barchana block will be affected following the Mahanadi river system,” he added.
The State government on Saturday deputed senior bureaucrat V. V. Yadav to oversee flood management in Jajpur district.
