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Over 350,000 people in coastal Orissa were hit by flash floods triggered by torrential rains in the state for the past three-four days with heavy rains likely to continue for a couple of days, a Met official said Wednesday. "A low pressure formed over northwest Bay of Bengal off the West Bengal-Orissa coast in the morning has now intensified into a deep depression," Met official Arjun Dash told IANS. It was centred at about 50 km southeast of the port town of Paradeep in the coastal district of Jagatsinghpur Wednesday afternoon, he said. Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall between 7 and 25 cm may occur at few places in the next 42 hours, Dash said. Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea. The swelling of rivers Subarnarekha, Jalaka, Baitarani and Budha Balanga has submerged large areas of three coastal districts - Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur, said a state revenue official. While the water levels of Baitarani and Budha Balanga are below the danger level, Subarnarekha and Jalaka crossed the danger mark, triggering panic among people living in low laying areas, he told IANS. In the worst hit Balasore district, floods have affected over 250,000 people and at least 181 villages have been marooned. The district administration has evacuated 2,043 people from 421 families to nearby cyclone shelters, said the official. Similarly, 42,726 cattle have been affected and around 30,100 hectares of paddy crops in the district have been destroyed. Hundreds of houses have been damaged and evacuated people are being provided with food in 20 free kitchen centres in Jaleswar, Basta and Bhogarai blocks, said District Emergency Officer B. Patnaik. "The district administration has distributed 565 quintals of flattened rice and 58 quintals of other food materials to the flood-hit people. We are distributing relief material to the affected people by using boats." he told IANS. Seven powerboats and 51 country boats have been mobilised while two units of the Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) have been deployed for rescue work in the district, he said. Breaches at several places on the state highway and sub-roads have cut off the roadways in the northern pockets. Electricity and telecommunication facilities have also been disrupted. The health administration is now concerned over the high incidence of water-borne diseases like diarrhoea in the district. At least 50 people have reportedly been affected by the disease and admitted in different hospitals. "A special medical team has also been rushed to the flood hit areas," said Patnaik.
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