Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday made an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts to assess the damage caused.
Following the survey Majhi said his government was working on a zero-casualty mission.
Incessant rain in several areas has led to large-scale inundation, with water entering hundreds of villages. Around 30,000 people in 81 villages of these districts have been affected by the current floods caused by the Subarnarekha, Baitarani, Jalanga rivers and their tributaries. Four blocks of Balasore — Basta, Baliapal, Bhograi and Jaleshwar — two blocks of Bhadrak — Dhamnagar and Bhandaripokhari — and two blocks of Jajpur — Jajpur and Dasharathpur — have been badly hit.
Majhi was accompanied by the revenue and disaster management minister, Suresh Pujari and the higher education minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, during the survey. “Instructions have been issued to assist all the affected people in the flood-hit areas.
Relief operation is on,” said Majhi.
In the flood-hit areas, the state government has started distributing free cooked food for the next seven days. Currently, 10,000 people are being given free food. The chief minister has also assured that compensation will be given to people who have incurred losses due to the floods. District collectors have been asked to submit the damage assessment reports within seven days.
Meanwhile, the water level of all major rivers has started receding. There was no major damage caused by the flood in Keonjhar district.
So far, the state government has evacuated 5,869 people from the vulnerable places and shifted them to safer places. Currently, 17 Odisha disaster rapid action force (ODRAF) and 13 fire service teams have been deployed in Balasore. Similarly, one
NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) team, one ODRAF team, 13 fire personnel teams have been deployed in Bhadrak and one ODRAF team and 14 Fire teams have been deployed in Jajpur district.