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Floods maroon thousands in Orissa
by Sarada Lahangir

     Bhograi (Orissa): Tens of thousands of people have been marooned by flooding in Orissa's Balasore district where torrential rains have caused havoc for the past five days. Incessant unseasonal rains have inundated several low-lying areas, severely affecting Bhograi, Jaleswar, Basta and Balipat blocks of Balasore district. Flooding has cut off National Highway 60 from other parts of the country even as trucks remained stranded on the highway. Angry locals said that the administration was of no help, as they received no relief material despite the damages. "Due to the continuous rains we have lost our houses, means of livelihood and even our crops have been damaged. We have no communication with the outside world and nobody is helping us out," said Parsuram, a local. "Don't even ask about government help. Till now nobody has come to see us. National Highway 60 has been blocked. We are feeling helpless. All our crops have been damaged," said Manoj, another local.

     However, authorities said they have already begun the evacuation and adequate relief material including food and polythene sheets have been provided to the flood- affected. "Bhograi has been more affected because of heavy inflow of rain water from Bengal. People have been affected in large numbers. We are taking step to give them relief material. Two thousand people have been given shelter in higher places. Cooked food is being served to people. We are sending polythene sheets. We have already sent 1700 polythene sheets," said Duryodhan Giri, Additional District Magistrate, Balasore. Rains triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal have left at least one million people marooned in neighbouring West Bengal where 14 people have died. The rains have come after the June-September monsoon season ended in. During the monsoon season, floods and mudslides killed more than 1,000 people in western India. The country's financial hub, Mumbai, was brought to a standstill for four days when a record 94 cm of rain fell in 24 hours.