Five people swept away in Sundargarh

Bhubaneswar, Aug 20 (UNI) Five people were swept away by a strong current at Sundargarh as fresh flood played havoc in five districts of Orissa disrupting road and rail communications and submerging a large number of villages.

Official sources here said the five districts- Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Sundargarha and Sambalpur were the worst affected as heavy rains lashed for last two days following a low pressure formed over north Bay of Bengal and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal and Bangladesh.

While the river systems of Baitarani, Subarnarekha and Brahmani were in spate causing flash flood in Bhadrak, Balasore and Jajpur, the torrential rain caused flood like situation in Sambalpur and Sundergarh.

A 60-foot-long bridge near Ghoghar temple in Sundargarh also collapsed following heavy rain, where seven villages--Kunmendra, Mohuldihi, Ghaghar, Satiore, Liploi, Lying, Namlei of Kunmun and Kutnula Grampanchaya were affected and 12 houses destroyed in the district.

The Revenue Divisional Commissioner Northern Division Sambalpur and the Deputy Relief Commissioner proceeded to Sundergarh district to take stock of the situation.

The Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force unit at Jharsuguda was asked to proceed to Sundargarh for search and rescue operations.

Due to heavy rain many parts of Sambalpur town and Garposh area of Bamara block were flooded, damaging several houses particularly in slum areas. A goods train derailed at Gorposh station.

Bariha Garposh and Uchhakapat under Bamara Block of Kuchinda sub division in Sambalpur district were affected due to heavy rain.

The Baitarani, Subarnarekha, Jalaka were flowing above the danger mark submerging vast areas in Bhadrak, Balasore and Jajpur districts for the fourth time in this season..

Around four lakh people in 47 Grampanchayats were affected in Balasore alone, official sources said.

UNI