Orissa Flood death toll reaches 50, Situation still grim

The Orissa flood situation still remained grim. While major rivers in the state including Mahandai witnessed a decline in water level, heavy rain hampered the rescue and relief operation and compounded the misery of millions of people in 18 districts. The flood death toll reached 50 in the state. Unofficial sources have put the death toll at 300.

Heavy rain triggered by a low pressure in Bay of Bengal, hampered the relief operation. A large number of people in Cuttack, Puri, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur are still without food and shelter. Army and Navy personnel joined the relief operations to give it a momentum.

According to government sources, at least 3.76,673 people have been evacuated to safer places and tonnes of food and other relief materials have been distributed in the flood-affected areas. Meanwhile, majority of people in Orissa have expressed displeasure with the late response from the Centre and announcement of inadequate flood relief package to the state.