Floods continue to wreak havoc in Orissa

Pipli (Orissa), Sept 22 : Around 16 villages in Pipli district of Orissa continued to grapple with floods which have wreaked havoc in the state for the past few days.

Villages have been inundated and people could be seen wading through knee deep water, while many moved away with their belongings to safer places.

"We are living in deplorable conditions. We have not had anything to eat for past three days. We are waiting for some aid from the government but it is not paying any attention to our plight," said Chittanarayan, a local.

Large parts of the coastal Orissa were inundated after authorities were forced to open dozens of sluice gates of a dam on the Mahanadi River following heavy rains in the catchment's area.

The state authorities said that air dropping of food material was being undertaken in flood affected areas.

"In areas, where it is not possible to supply the food easily, we are air dropping food packets in those areas," said Manmohan Samal, Revenue Minister, Orissa.

Meanwhile, swelling Yamuna River triggered the fear of floods in National capital today.

The rise in the water level came after neighbouring Haryana, released nearly four hundred thousand cusecs of water into the river, after witnessing heavy rainfall.

This is for the first time in the last ten years that such a huge quantity of water has been released from Tajewala barrage by neighbouring Haryana, which itself is grappling with floods.

Monsoon rains and flooded rivers have brought huge devastation across South Asia this year, killing more than 1100 people, mostly in India.

ANI