Odisha floods: 294 villages still marooned

, Aug 12: More than 3.3 million people in 294 villages in

remain marooned even after flood water began to recede and all the rivers were flowing below the danger level, officials said Tuesday.

"There has been almost no rain for the past two-three days. However 294 villages are still surrounded by flood water. People are taking shelter on embankments, cyclone shelters, schools and other high rise structures," a revenue department official told IANS.

"Relief efforts have been stepped up in all the flood affected areas including in the worst hit Puri and Kendrapada districts," he said.

"More than 86,000 people are being provided cooked food in 100 free kitchens which the state government has set up in flood hit areas," he said.

The death toll due to floods which were caused by heavy rain over several days last week stands at 45.

With the state government confirming the death of 20 more cattle, 114 livestock have perished, he said.

In the worst hit coastal districts hundreds of people who have taken shelter on river embankments complained that they are yet to receive any relief, local TV channels reported.

"If one or two individuals say they have not received relief, I have nothing to say. I do not want to comment," special relief commissioner P.K. Mohapatra said.

"We are looking into things at the macro level. We have sufficient relief material and its distribution is on" he told IANS.

"They (people) should also know that they are part of disaster management process. They should have kept food for seven to 10 days, because they know that they are living in a disater-prone area," he added.

"The latest floods in Odisha have damaged over 30,000 houses, damaged crops over an area of 3.4 million hectares," officials said.

IANS