Sambalpur: As many as 1631 houses were damaged and crops on 1,079 hectors of paddy fields destroyed in the recent floods in the district.

Some 978 houses were damaged in Sambalpur Sadar block and Sambalpur Muncipal Corporation area followed by 370 houses in Maneswar, 138 Jujomura, 102 in Rairakhol, 32 in Rengali, six in Kuchinda and five in Bamra blocks, said district emergency officer Sanjeev Kumar Pujari.

The Odisha government will provide assistance for reconstruction of the houses, he added.

Apart from damage of houses and crop loss, many government buildings - such as anganwadi centres, schools and health care centres - were also damaged. Many roads in urban and rural areas have been washed away.

Tapaswini Nag, 26, of Bhaitikra village in Dhankauda block and Suresh Karnan, 26, of Kaultapada village in Charmal block were washed away by overflowing nullahs on July 21. Their families will get Rs 4 lakh each.