Flood affects 73 villages in Chhattisgarh

Heavy rains that lashed Chhattisgarh last week had flooded 73 villages across the state pushing the government machineries to take up relief work on a war-foot in the affected areas.

The incessant rains that the state witnessed last week had flooded Mahanadi and its tributaries that affected five districts including Bilaspur, Janjgir-Champa, Raigarh, Korba and Mungeli. A large tract of land was inundated and several houses were damaged.

"In all, 73 villages across the five districts has been facing the problem of flood, affecting 45658 people," officials in the revenue department said. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, Chief Minister Raman Singh convened a high level meeting on Thursday and instructed the officials to start the relief work immediately.

According to officials, roads in many pockets have also been damaged following flood with several stretches partially or fully submerged.They added that embankments at a few places have also been eroded besides approach roads to some bridges and culverts been badly damaged in the non-stop rains.

The administration has set up 73 relief camps where affected people has been given shelter following flooding of their houses and villages, the officials said. In all, 13718 people has been staying in the relief camp where the administration has been providing free food and medical facility.

Following the instruction of the chief minister, the senior officials in the administration has been constantly inspecting the relief camps to ensure required facilities to the affected people. The medical officials has been pressed into service to make sure that there was no outbreak of disease in the areas.

The agriculture department officials are calculating the loss to the crops because of flood. The officials said about 16,000 hectares of land has been affected.