Rescue operations speed up in flood affected Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Sept 20 : Rescue operations have been speeded up in Orissa as the State is faced with the fury of flash floods due to heavy incessant rains throwing life out of gear.

At least 15 of the 30 Districts in the State have been affected by flash floods.

The States Disaster Management Agencies and the army have started evacuating thousands of stranded villagers from the affected areas.

The Air Force helicopters were pressed into service and the army men rescued people marooned in Boudh District.

Manmohan Samal, Orissa Government Disaster Management Minister told reporters about government's efforts to help the victims.

"We are dispatching relief material to all the village councils and we have dispatched kitchen material to all the village heads across the state so that everyone gets adequate food," said Samal.

Over 3000 people in Kalahandi, Balangir, Sonepur and Boudh districts in Orissa are marooned for the last three days.

A much bigger threat is building up at Mundli barrage the last checkpoint for the surging floodwaters in Orissa's biggest river, the Mahanadi.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had called a meeting of state officials on Friday in Bhubaneswar to discuss the flood situation.

Relief and rescue mechanism was readied in Cuttack, Puri, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur districts.

More than sixty five thousand people have been shifted so far to safer places.

All schools and cyclone shelters have been opened to accommodate flood-affected families.

The meteorological department has issued warning to fishermen not to venture out in the sea for next few days.

ANI