News

Odisha flood toll rises to 35

by IBNS 08 Aug 2014, 09:24 am

Bhubaneswar, Aug 8 (IBNS): The toll climbed to 35 with the reported death of eight more people in Odisha as the floods triggered by heavy downpour in the past week hit nearly 1.8 million people in 24 of the states 30 districts.

The situation is now slowly coming to normalcy though the water level in Mahanadi, Devi and Baitarani rivers is still flowing above the danger mark at some places, officials said.

The flood situation has affected nearly half-a-million livestock and destroyed 15,943 houses so far while agricultural crops cultivated over 208,911.9 hectares of land were damaged.

Nearly 70,000 people have been evacuated after rain water inundated a vast part of many areas in the state. As many as 243 free kitchens were set up to provide meals to the flood-hit people, sources said.

At least 11 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 30 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams are currently carrying out the rescue drive.

Authorities were anticipating that several coastal districts would be flooded after 50 gates of the Hirakud dam on the Mahanadi river in Sambalpur district were opened on Wednesday evening, owing to heavy rain in the upper catchment area.