300 students trapped in flood-hit school in Orissa

About 300 children were trapped in a school building in a village marooned by flood waters in Orissa's Nabarangpur district today, official sources said in Bhubaneshwar.

The students were in the school when surging flood waters of the Indravati river submerged Keradimal village in Kosagumuda block, leaving the children trapped in the building, state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patro said.

Stating that the trapped students had taken shelter on the terrace of the school building, the minister said the district administration had been directed to take immediate steps to rescue them.

A team of the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) has been rushed to district and if required its assistance would be sought in rescuing the children, he said.

Water was also receding and the students were expected to be rescued soon, the minister said.

In a similar incident in Malkangiri district, four persons were trapped in flood waters and taken shelter atop a tree in remote Mathili area, official sources said adding motor boats and ODRAF personnel have been sent to rescue them.