Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Sept 20: (Flood damage assessment) Floods have impacted at least 20 districts in Odisha due to heavy rains caused by low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, occurring in two phases, reported Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Friday. “While no loss of life has been reported, crops, agricultural lands, and houses have sustained damage in several districts,” he stated, adding that district administrations have been instructed to submit damage assessment reports to the R&DM department within seven days.
In the first phase, the southern districts of Malkangiri and Koraput were significantly affected, with Malkangiri experiencing the most extensive damage. In the second phase, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, and to some extent, Bhadrak were impacted, with Balasore being the worst hit.
Pujari noted that a dam in Jharkhand is not fully constructed, and its nearby habitation causes residual water to flow into Mayurbhanj and Balasore during rains. The full moon phase also hindered rivers from adequately draining into the Bay of Bengal, exacerbating the flooding. However, he concluded that the situation is improving, with water levels in the affected areas beginning to recede.
