Bhubaneswar, July 17: An Indian Air Force helicopter today airdropped food packets in the flood-affected areas of Rayagada district.
"The flood situation in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts has improved. Air dropping of relief materials has been done in Rayagada," said chief minister Naveen Patnaik after reviewing the flood situation today.
Special relief commissioner Bishnupada Sethi said the helicopter had airdropped around 3,000 food packets in the marooned areas. "We have opened 15 free kitchens in Rayagada and five in Kalyansinghpur blocks to serve cooked foods to the affected people. Besides, we have engaged six huge water tankers in Kalyansinghpur, he said.
Around 40,000 people been affected by flash floods in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts. Two persons have lost their lives in Kalahandi district. While one person died in to landslide, another drowned, said an official adding that eight persons had been injured in the two districts due to floods.
Flash floods in Nagavali, Kalyani, Hati and Tel rivers had disrupted road and rail communication in the two southern districts. More than 28,000 people in 50 villages under Rayagada block and 20 villages under Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada district have been affected. The flash flood has affected 500 people in 10 villages of seven blocks in Kalahandi district.
The Met department has predicted more rain in Kalahandi and neighbouring districts such as Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur. The rain is expected to continue for the next three days.
This evening, the chief minister spoke to collectors of the flood-affected districts through video-conferencing and asked them to make preliminary damage assessment within seven days and report to him. Besides, he instructed officials of all the flood-prone districts to remain alert and tackle the possible flood situations in coming days.
The restoration work of rail and road communication has started in the affected areas. All senior officials of East Coast Railway, including general manager Umesh Singh, have been camping at the site of the bridge between Theruvali and Singpur stations that was washed away by the flash flood.
Expert teams from Visakhapatnam, including divers, went to the spot and checked the down line railway bridge and its fitness. Railways services are expected to resume on the down line at the earliest by tomorrow if weather conditions do not worsen, said railway sources.
Health minister Pratap Jena reviewed health care situation in flood-affected areas.
"Special medical teams have camped in flood-hit Rayagada district with adequate medicines and vaccins. Director of health services K.C. Dash is camping in Rayagada since yesterday and directly supervising the work, while director of family welfare Binod Mishra has rushed to Kalahandi," said the minister.
National Disaster Response Force, CRPF and Odisha Disaster Response Force teams have been mobilised to expedite relief and rescue operations. Local voluntary organisations and industries have also joined hands in the relief work. More than 65 people stranded at various places were rescued last night, said special relief commissioner Sethi.
