As many areas remained inaccessible due to severe floods in river Brahmani and Baitarani, Orissa government today urged the Centre to rush more helicopters for rescue and relief operation.
As many areas remained inaccessible due to severe floods in river Brahmani and Baitarani, Orissa government today urged the Centre to rush more helicopters for rescue and relief operation.
"I have spoken to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister AK Antony. We asked for more choppers for rescue and relief operation," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters after making an aerial survey of the worst-affected Jajpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts.
Patnaik deputed senior officials to supervise rescue and relief operation in these three worst affected districts where people were trapped on roof tops as their houses had been submerged by the flood water of Brahmani and Baitarani.
Relief teams and state machinery was unable to reach distressed people, mainly in Jajpur district. "The flood is so severe that the administration of Jajpur was unable to open free kitchens as people were being evacuated to safe places," Revenue and Disaster Management Minister SN Patro said.
Stating that heavy downpour lashed Panposh area in Sundergarh district to the extent of 181.29 mm yesterday, Patro said the excess rain at upper catchment area could further aggravate the flood fury.
Jajpur district had been cut off from the rest of the state after collapse of an old bridge at Sathipur yesterday while the alternative road through Panikoeli area was under water. Therefore, the administration was facing difficulties in transporting relief materials to the affected area.
As hundreds of people in Bari block area of Jajpur district were trapped in flood water, the state government had sought 100 mechanised boats from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for effective rescue and relief operation, Patro said adding 250 members of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) were engaged in the rescue and relief work.
A police constable identified as Asim Kanungo of ODRAF's rescue team, was missing after a boat in which he was travelling caught in a swirl in river Baitarani yesterday, Patro said, adding, at least two persons had so far died in the second spell flood.
"Flood situation in Jajpur, Kendrapara and Bhardak is grave," Special Relief Commissioner PK Mohapatra said adding above 400 villages in Jajpur district were marooned followed by 135 villages in Bhadrak district, 98 villages in Kendrapara district and 66 villages in Mayurbhanj district.
The state government have started air-dropping of food materials while ODRAF has rescued 60 people trapped on roof tops of a house in Mathura village of Jajpur district.
So far, Patro said so far 12 breaches on river embankments have occurred in Jajpur district and eight in Bhadrak district.
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