Flood situation improves in some areas, toll rises to 48

The flood situation improved in some areas in Orissa although it remained grim the rest parts. The air dropping of food packets continued today with the helicopters taking 16 sorties over distressed areas.

In view of the need to provide relief to about 40 lakh affected people, the state government today decided to procure rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the open market.

This was decided in a high level review meeting on flood chaired by the chief minister Naveen Patnaik. It was also decided to pay damage compensation to the affected persons who have lost their houses.

Patnaik directed the concerned departments to complete the assessment of loss and ensure prompt payment of compensation where water has receded. Besides, it has been decided to procure 600 metric tonne additional polythene to be supplied to the marooned people. Briefing the media on the flood situation, GVV Sharma, commissioner-secretary, revenue and disaster management, Orissa government, said, the overall flood situation improved in the state except 7 Gram Panchayats in Niali block of the Cuttack district.

Jagatsinghpur, part of Kendarapada showed marked improvement with water receding in these areas while the situation was grim in Cuttack, Puri and some areas of Kendarapada districts. About 5722 villages are affected in these districts out of which 827 villages were still marooned. Four gates of the Hirakud reservoir were open with 3.94 lakh cusecs of water flowing at Munduli.

The death toll in the current flood reached 48 today from 35 yesterday. It included 11 deaths in Cuttack, 8 in Puri, 5 in Jajpur, 5 in Kendarapara, 3 each in Angul and Bolangir, 4 persons in Bhadrakh, 2 in Jagatsinghpur, 1 in Keonjhar and 2 in Raygada.

Meanwhile, the road connectivity between the capital Bhubaneswar and Puri was partially restored today through an alternative route via Banki, Sharma added.