Odisha: 5 dead in house collapse, heavy rains triggers flood-like situation

Arrangements have been made to evacuate people to safer places in Bhadrak, Balasore and Jajpur, he said

Heavy rainfall and flooding in Odisha's five districts claimed the lives of as many as five people in different incidents of drowning and collapse of houses, Pradeep Kumar Jena, Special Relief Commissioner informed on Friday.

"A total of 5 more people died in Odisha due to house collapse and drowning in Bargarh, Nuapada, Jajpur, Baleswar and Bhadrak. 7 people had died earlier in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundergarh and 2 were missing in Bargarh and Mayurbhanj," said Pradeep Kumar Jena, Special Relief Commissioner during a press briefing.

Odisha Government has deployed total 39 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and fire services in 11 districts of the State to deal with the flood situation.

Five additional teams of NDRF will also be deployed on Saturday (today) in a flood zone as per the situation, the government said in a statement.

By 9 pm on Friday, Fourty of the 64 sluice gates of Hirakud Dam were opened on Friday by authorities to discharge the floodwaters, following incessant rain that caused Mahanadi river water level to rise. A total of 25,00,254 cusec water has been discharged.

At present, the water level at the Hirakud Dam Reservoir is 625.67 feet. The dam registered water inflow of 7,15,747 cusec and outflow of 6,58,570 cusec.

Isolated places of Odisha have been receiving heavy rains for the past few days resulting in overflowing of water bodies and causing trouble for people in commuting due to submersion of roads in the floodwaters.