Floods hit Odisha after cyclone Phailin
After cyclone Phailin, Odisha is now facing the threat of floods.
Balasore is the worst affected district with more than 68,000 people hit by the overflowing rivers. Subarnarekha, Baitarani and Budhabalang rivers are flowing above the danger mark. The other flood-hit districts in the state are Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Bhadrak.
Floods triggered in major rivers in northern parts of Odisha because of heavy rains which was the peripheral effect of the high-velocity cyclone, which ravaged the vast coastal belt including worst hit Ganjam.
Though the death toll due to the cyclone and subsequent floods has gone up to 28, the loss of human life was minimised to a large extent because of the accurate predictions of the MET department which gave the authorities ample time to prepare for the worst.
“We expect fresh floods in 30 villages of four gram panchayats under Chandbali block of Bhadrak as water of river Baitarani would flow into the sea through this channel,” special relief commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra said, adding 1.73 lakh people were evacuated in the wake of the floods in Subarnarekha, Budhabalang, Baitarani and Jalaka rivers.
Stating that relief distribution was now the only priority in both cyclone and flood hit areas, Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra said the state government has thanked the defence forces for their support and assistance during the twin calamities.
The government has expedited restoration work in Ganjam and other cyclone-hit districts and a timeline has been fixed for completion of works.
More than 300 experts are being hired by the Union Power Ministry for restoration of electric supply in cyclone-hit Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
With residents of coastal Odisha struggling to resume normal life after the devastation of cyclone Phailin, Tata Steel, through its Tata Relief Committee (TRC), has initiated steps to reach out to them providing shelter and food.
In the worst-affected Ganjam district, a special relief camp, in collaboration with the district administration, has been opened in the hostel of JN Tata Technical Institute at Gopalpur, a company statement said today.
