Heavy rains lashed the State during the
past three days under the influence of a
deep depression over the Bay of Bengal that
crossed the State's coast near Paradip on
Monday morning. The system had since started
weakening.
However, heavy to very heavy rainfall was
likely to occur at isolated places over
Baitarani, Lower Brahmani, Upper and Lower
Mahanadi during the day, according to the
flood bulletin issued by the State government's
Water Resources Department.
Although rains subsided in the coastal
districts by Tuesday morning, the situation
continued to be grim for lakhs of people
in the millennium city of Cuttack due to
heavy water logging.
Non-opening of three sluice gates that
release the city's water into Mahanadi and
Kathjodi rivers on Sunday night had resulted
in the city suffering from heavy water logging.
The ground floors of the houses in most
parts of the city had got filled with storm
water and the situation had not improved
in many areas till Tuesday.
Thousands of people whose hutments were
damaged due to heavy rains and water logging
in Cuttack had taken shelter in safer places.
The authorities had started providing emergency
relief to these families.
Apart from opening the sluice gates, the
administration was also using pump sets
to drain out rainwater from the city. The
only area that had not been affected was
CDA colony.
In another development, the State government
has announced to increase compensation for
those affected the heavy rains and floods.
The compensation for damage of thatched
houses has been increased from Rs 6,000
to Rs 10,000, for pucca houses from Rs 10,000
to Rs 25,000 and for polythene sheets from
Rs. 400 to Rs. 800. The compensation money
will be paid to the victims within 15 days
of the disaster, Revenue and Disaster Management
Minister Manmohan Samal has said.
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