BHADRAK: Heavy downpour for three days has flooded the Baitarani on Friday. The river is flowing above danger level at Akhuapada, marooning over 150 villages in the district.While one girl was swept away during rescue operation by ODRAF team in Bhandaripokhari, the body of an old woman was recovered from Nalia river. The woman has been identified as Sampada Rout (80) of Langudi village under Bhadrak block. Over three lakh people in Bhandaripokhari, Dhamnagar, Tihidi, Basudevpur, Bhadrak and Chandbali blocks, located along Baitarani, were hit by the third successive floods. Sources said the ravaging river has affected 165 villages in 45 panchayats of four blocks. People in the riverside villages, particularly in Bhandaripokhari and Dhamnagar blocks, are scared as the swirling water breached the embankment and inundated their houses and roads. Communication to 23 panchayats in Dhamnagar block and seven panchayats of Bhandaripokhari block has been disrupted. Terming the situation as grave, District Emergency Officer Suryakanta Padhi said while the danger level of the Baitarani is 17.83 metre, it was flowing at 20.60 metres and still rising. The Baitarani’s tributaries -- Reba, Kapali and Genguti -- have inundated villages and large tracts of paddy fields. Vehicular movement between Bhadrak-Aradi, Dhamnagar-Doubal, Dhamnagar-Khotar, Basudevpur-Padmapur and Bhandaripokhari-Malada has been snapped with the flood water flowing over the roads. Villages of Solampur, Napanga, Rahania, Balipada, Dulapur, Sohadaand Pangat Hasanbad, Sailo, Dakhinakula, Balipatana, Daspari and Muktanagar were marooned.Thousands of affected have taken shelter on roof tops as the district administration is yet to reach them. The Emergency Officer, however, said four ODRAF teams have been engaged in Bhandaripokhari and Dhamnagar blocks for rescue and relief operations.
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