Rayagada: The district administration heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday as a flash flood situation was averted with a decrease in rainfall.

The administration was on the alert on Sunday with the Bansadhara, Jhanjabati and Nagabali rivers flowing near the danger mark. As the average rainfall dropped to 7mm on Monday, waterlevel of the rivers decreased on Tuesday.

"At present there is no flood situation in the district and things are limping back to normal. Water level has started receding in several low-lying areas and road communication, which was hit in few areas in Bissamkatak and Muniguda blocks till Monday, has resumed on Tuesday," said collector (Rayagada) Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar.

"If there is no heavy rain in the next few hours, the situation will improve further. Rescue personnel, armed with relief materials, have been kept on the standby to avoid any untoward incident," she added.

According to officials at the district emergency centre, road communication was hit at 12 places in Kalyansinghpur, Bissamkatak, Rayagada and Muniguda blocks either by washing away of bridges or approach roads on Monday.

"Work for restoration of traffic in rain-hit areas has begun with repair of damaged roads and bridges," the collector said.

Sources said that acres of agricultural land and thatched houses had been damaged in the torrential rain that lashed the district last week.

"The tehsildars have been asked to submit report on damages caused to houses and land at the earliest," she said.

Officials said the body of Bissamkatak tehsil resident Mangalu Praska, 25, who was washed away by flood water of Markama nullah on Sunday, was recovered on Monday.