Heavy rain triggers floods in Orissa

Heavy rain for the fifth day Saturday caused flash floods in several districts of Orissa, officials said. Several rivers in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Koraput, Cuttak and Bhadrak districts are in spate.

Several rivers are flowing close to the danger mark. The Baitarani river is flowing above the danger mark at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district and the Budhabalanga is also flowing close to the danger mark.

Water levels of major rivers like the Mahanadi, the Brahmani, the Bansadhara and the Rusikulya are also rising.

Balasore and Mayurbhanj are the most affected districts. In Balasore, about 35,000 people have been affected while 10,000 people have been affected in Mayurbhanj districts as hundreds of villages have been inundated by flood waters.

One person has died so far in the floods in Cuttack district. The local administrations have started evacuating people from the affected areas of Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts.

Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams have been pressed into rescue work with power boats.

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