MALKANGIRI/RAYAGADA: Water level in major rivers in Rayagada and Malkangiri is rising with incessant rains lashing the districts since Monday night. Communication between Malkangiri and Balimela was disrupted in the evening as the water was flowing four feet over the low lying bridge at MV-37 due to heavy downpour. People and hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the bridge.
With the Met Department forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next two days, Malkangiri Collector Manish Agarwal has announced the closure of all schools in the district on Wednesday.
Agarwal said the district administration is ready to meet any exigency and food materials, drinking water and medicines have been stocked in all flood shelters. Four fire brigades and one ODRAF team have been deployed in sensitive places with district officials are camping in relief centres.
In Rayagada district, residents of Sanabrahmana street under Kalyansinghpur block were asked by the block administration and tehsildar to move to safer places as both Nagavali and Kalyani rivers are in spate. With continuous rains in the catchment areas, water in both the rivers was nearing the danger level on Tuesday evening. Kalyani river was flowing four metres below the danger level.
Block Development Officer (BDO), Anup Panda said all arrangements have been made to accommodate villagers of Sanabrahmana in a school nearby and the administration is on alert to tackle any situation arising out of heavy rains.
Heavy downpour at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district has triggered a flood like situation in Rayagada which had witnessed four days of heavy rainfall in the last week of July.
Farm activities pick up pace after good rains
Jeypore: Agricultural activities are in full swing following good rainfall in all parts of Koraput district. According to sources, the district agriculture department has set a target to cover paddy cultivation on 99,000 hectares in the Kharif season. Farmers of Jeypore, Kotpad, Boipariguda, Kundra and Borrigumma had started cultivation process in the last week of June anticipating good rains. But belying their hopes, there was scanty rainfall till July second week and the farmers were unable to go ahead with the cropping process. Only 40 per cent of farm activities were completed until the third week of July. However, there has been an improvement in the rainfall in the past eight days. Farm activities, including transplantation, have picked up the pace and about 80 per cent cultivation process has been completed till date. The farmers said that the cultivation process for Kharif season would be completed by August 15 if the climate remains conducive in the region. Meanwhile, rains pounded different parts of the district and 51 mm rainfall was recorded on Tuesday. Sources said there would be moderate to heavy rainfall in the district in the next two days. Significantly, the water level in Upper Kolab dam reservoir was recorded at 851 metres. The water level in the reservoir had dipped in the last week of July. Heavy downpour in the catchment areas resulted in the recovery of water storage in the dam.
Rain worry ONCE again
Vehicular communication between Malkangiri and Balimela disrupted with water flowing four feet over the low lying bridge at MV-37
Both Nagavali and Kalyani rivers are in spate. With continuous rains in the catchment areas, water in both the rivers nearing the danger level
Kalyani river flowing four-metre below the danger level at Kalyansinghpur