Phailin-triggered floods leave 2,00,000 marooned in Odisha

Death toll due to cyclone and flood rises to 21; relief efforts on

While tycoon Phailin, which hit the coastal areas of Odisha on Saturday, has weakened considerably, the massive flood that followed the very severe cyclonic storm has left around 200,000 people stranded in four blocks in the state’s Balasore district.

The affected blocks are Remuna, Balasore Sadar, Bhograi and Jaleswar. Heavy rains induced by the cyclonic storm lashed many coastal districts of the state, flooding three rivers - Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga and Baitarani.

“Four blocks in Balasore are in the grip of massive flood. Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Army personnel have been deployed in the affected areas to carry out relief and rescue work. Choppers will also be pressed into service for air dropping of food packets,” said S N Patro, minister for revenue and disaster management, after a special review meeting.

The minister added that revenue divisional commissioner (northern division) Arabinda Padhee is overseeing flood control and relief distribution work on the spot.

Teams will be deployed in the Bhandaripokhari, Dhamnagar and Chandbali blocks of Bhadrak district as well, where severe flood is expected. Air dropping of food and relief material is to begin on Monday afternoon.

Special Relief Commissioner Pradipta K Mohapatra said: “In Mayurbhanj district, 10 blocks have been affected, out of which two blocks - Badasahi and Betanati - have been severely affected. Similarly in Jajpur district, three blocks are flood-hit - Korei, Jajpur and Dasarathpur. But our priority is on Balasore.”

The official death toll owing to Phailin and consequential floods is 21. Ganjam district recorded the highest casualty at nine, followed by three in Puri and two each in Balasore and Nayagarh. One death each was reported in the other affected districts of Bhadrak, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda and Bolangir.

According to official figures, 11.8 million people have been affected by the cyclonic storm and floods in 15,578 villages under 1,924 gram panchayats under 128 blocks. A cultivable area of 437,723 hectares has been affected and 248,822 houses have been damaged.

As many as 10,13,647 people were evacuated ahead of the cyclonic storm and later in the wake of floods.