Bhubaneswar, July 21: The state government is expected to be ready with the damage assessment report for the flood-affected areas in south Odisha by next week.

Development commissioner R. Balakrishnan asked the district collectors to send the damage control report of the districts concerned by Monday. Three southern districts - Rayagada, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur - were affected by the flash flood following heavy rain induced by the low pressure over Bay of Bengal.

Two railway overbridges were washed away by the flash flood in Rayagada district, while a rail track was swept away by the swirling flood waters in Kalahandi district.

Road communication was cut off at several places in Rayagada, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur districts as the floodwaters caused breaches on the roads. Train service and the road communication have now resumed between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and also within the state after the repair of the railway overbridges, damaged roads and bridges.

Official sources said relief and restoration operations were continuing on war footing in the flood-affected areas and cooked food was being served to marooned people. Medical teams were rushed to the affected pockets and measures were taken to provide safe drinking water through tankers and disinfect the contaminated water sources to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases.

According to preliminary assessment, around 28,000 persons belonging to 70 villages in two blocks have been affected by the flood in Rayagada district. The number of affected people in Kalahandi district was 45,200 living in 136 villages under seven blocks. Two persons have lost their lives in the district. An estimated 70,584 persons in 283 villages in 10 blocks have been affected by the flash flood in Nabarangpur district.