Kendrapara: Seventy-four skilled labourers from the district's Satabhaya village have been stranded in flood-ravaged Ernakulam.

Family members of these migrant labourers know little about their whereabouts and have not been able to contact them in the past 24 hours.

These migrant labourers worked in plywood manufacturing units in Ernakulam district. When they last spoke to their family members, they said that they had been stranded in floodwater.

District collector Dasarathi Satpathy said: "We have received reports of people from the district being stranded in Kerala's Ernakulam district. To ensure the safety of the migrant workers, the administration has taken up the matter with the principal relief commissioner of Kerala through the state's special relief commissioner."

The state government has also sent a list of trapped Odias, along with their phone numbers, to its Kerala counterpart with a request to rescue them.

While some of the stranded workers have managed to communicate with their family members, others are yet to do so. The district labour office has been asked to keep constant touch with the families of the stranded workers. The state government would take all steps for their safe return to their native villages, he added.

"God is kind. My son Rajendra Panda is safe. Their plywood unit was marooned. However, they are safe now. He spoke to me two days ago. But now I cannot reach him as his mobile is switched off. They are in distress," said Ramesh Panda, father of one of the migrant workers.

Like Panda, the son of Kanhu Behera, a native of Bagapatia resettlement colony, also worked in a unit manufacturing plywood.

"I had also managed to contact my son (Rohit Behera) on Friday. He is safe. He was stranded atop the roof of a two-storeyed building for two days since flood hit Kerala. Rohit told me that he would return home once the situation improved. I pray to god for his safe return," he said.

Odisha gives more

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced an additional financial assistance of Rs 5 crore to flood-ravaged Kerala.

Naveen also ordered 500MT of polythene sheets worth Rs 8 crore to be dispatched to the southern state. Earlier on August 16, the state government had announced a financial help of Rs 5 crore.

Odisha has also sent 244 fire services personnel with 65 rescue boats and other equipment to Kerala to help the rescue operations.