Nearly two lakh persons in 1,366 villages across ten districts of Odisha have been affected by heavy rainfall and floods, PTI reported.
More than 27,000 persons have been evacuated and taken to temporary shelters so far.
Special Relief Commissioner PK Jena said around 24,000 hectares of farmland has been marooned.
“Out of the 64 sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam, 40 have been opened,” Jena said, according to the Hindustan Times. “...The peak flood has passed and we are keeping a close watch on the developing situation.”
Eighteen teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and National Disaster Response Force, along with 44 teams of fire personnel have been deployed for rescue operations, he said.
In the Cuttack district, several localities in the Narsinghpur, Banki, Badamba, Damapada, Tigiria and Athagarh blocks were marooned after roads leading to them were inundated, The New Indian Express reported.
“District administrations and engineers of the Water Resources department are working round-the-clock to tackle the situation and rescue operations are also underway,” Jena said.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department on Wednesday predicted the formation of a fresh low-pressure area over the northern Bay of Bengal by Friday, which could cause heavy rains in the state, PTI reported.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!