Orissa floods: Nearly 21 lakh affected

Bhubaneshwar:  The flood situation in Orissa continues to remain grim with nearly 2.1 million people affected in more than 3000 villages. The second spell of floods has resulted in the death of 19 people so far with six casualties reported from the Jajpur, one of the worst-affected districts. 

Even though water levels in most rivers except the Brahmani have started receding, over a thousand villages are still marooned. In fact, flood water of Brahmani had completely submerged Bari block and many places of Rajnagar, Pattamundai and Aul blocks in Kendrapara district.

Six helicopters of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy have been deployed to air-drop food packets to the flood-affected area. But air-dropping of food items was being hindered due to the paucity of dry land, especially in the Jajpur district. 

"Air-dropping of food items was not possible in Bari block of Jajpur district as the entire area has been submerged in flood water," Revenue and Disaster Management Minister S N Patro told reporters after reviewing the flood situation.

Hence, the government has also sent 460 boats with relief materials to the affected areas to aid in the operations. 

With the government unable to drop food packets from helicopters, reports of people starving has been received from Jajpur and Kendrapara districts.

The authorities have set up 258 free kitchens in the flood-affected area. 

Meanwhile, a central team, comprising four members from ministries of Road Transport and Highways, Agriculture, Health and Water Resources arrived here to assess flood damage.

"Though the team is to assess the damage due to the first spell of floods in the Mahanadi system, we will take them to Jajpur district for review of the situation," said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra, adding the team will visit three western districts tomorrow.