Flood situation worsens in Odisha’s Jajpur district

Rajashree dashJajpur, Aug 6: Flood situation in Odisha’s Jajpur district further worsened on Wednesday with seven more breaches occurring on the banks of Brahmani, Baitarani and Kharasrota rivers at six different places in Bari and Dasarathapur.Besides, Dasarathapur, the worst affected block of the district by the Baitarani river, the flood water of Brahmani and Kharasrota rivers entered into at least 13 gram panchayats causing inundation of over 60,000 people of about 41 villages in Bari block on Wednesday.While four breaches occurred in Brahmani river right embankment near Matiapada and Chandanpur under Bari block of the district in the morning, two breaches occurred on the banks of Kharasrota river at Bhanra and Raipada.All the breaches have been measured to be between 60 to 100 feet, officials said.Further, a fresh breach has occurred in Baitarani river near Patapur where the river breached on Monday.The floods in Baitarani have already affected over 1.5 lakh people in three blocks of the district, wherein inhabitants of over 100 villages are marooned since Monday.Besides, thousands of people in many villages of Barachana block have been affected by the floods in the Mahanadi system.To add their woes, disruption of power supply in several marooned areas of the block has made the situation worse.Thousands of flood victims have taken shelter on their roof top even three days of the Baitarani flood waters entered into their villages.They have been passing the night in the dark even under the open sky.The flood victims have been facing severe water problem in the marooned areas as all most all water bodies are under flood water.“We are facing acute drinking water problem in our village as all our water bodies are under flood water,” said Arjuna Roul of Malikapur village.Thousands of people in Dasarathapur areas who are still encircled by the flood water have taken shelter on the roof top or high land.They are yet to be evacuated even after three days after flood struck them.Official sources said that around 3.5 lakh people of 264 villages of seven blocks in the district have been affected by the flood in Baitarani, Brahmani and its branches Kharasrota, Tantighai, Kelua, Genguti, Gobari and Budha rivers.Both Baitarani and Brahmani rivers in the district are flowing much above their red mark.While Baitarani was flowing at 19.81 metre against its danger mark at 17.83 metre at Akhuapada, Brahmani was flowing at 69 feet against its red mark at 67 feet at Jenapur late on Wednesday evening, officials said.River Brahmani was increasing, while Baitarani was stable.An aerial view of the flood-affected region of the State depicted a clear picture as to how the flood affected people were cut off from the rest of the world.It was found that the administration was struggling to provide any help to the affected people due to various reasons such as shortage of boats.