Jayapur (Koraput): Continuous rainfall triggered by a low-pressure system has severely affected normal life in Koraput district, with nearly 45 villages submerged and around 4,500 people rescued, district Collector Manoj Satyawan Mahajan said on Saturday.
Road and communication links have been disrupted at several places, while railway tracks have also been affected by the incessant rain and flooding. Around 15-16 villages in Kotpad block remain waterlogged, hampering transportation and daily activities.
The district administration has intensified rescue and relief operations in vulnerable areas and is closely monitoring the situation, the Collector said.
With rail services affected, the administration has arranged free bus services from Koraput railway station to provide alternative transport to stranded passengers until railway connectivity is restored.
Meanwhile, five villages under Gupteshwar Gram Panchayat in Baipariguda block—Ghadaghat, Talur, Shuribeda, Kenduguda and Sorisha Padar—have been waterlogged following a rise in the levels of rivers and streams.
On being informed, Baipariguda BDO Subrata Sahu, Tehsildar Snigdha Choudhury, CDPO Sabita Brahma, fire personnel and other officials reached the affected areas and rescued residents. They were shifted to a government building at Gupteshwar.
The administration has arranged food and other essential supplies for the rescued people and is monitoring the situation amid continued rainfall and rising water levels.
Arrangements have also been made to ensure that students of PM Shri High School at Shuribeda do not face inconvenience, BDO Sahu said.
