Vast areas in the delta region of Mahanadi river system were inundated by flood waters while the water level in other rivers dropped slowly as the death toll due to rains and floods which hit over 17.8 lakh people climbed to 35 today.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who took an aerial view of flood affected areas of Cuttack, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Puri districts, said the situation was improving and hoped normalcy would return soon.
Patnaik announced relief for seven days to the people in areas badly affected by floods.
As many as 17.88 lakh people in 3,990 villages of 132 blocks in 1,084 gram panchayats spread over 23 districts have so far been affected due to the floods, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said.
"Though Mahanadi river is flowing above danger mark at several places, there is no threat of substantial damage as the flow of water has come down," he said.
Death toll due to floods and heavy rains in different parts of the state went up to 35 with eight fresh deaths reported since yesterday, the SRC said adding, most of the casualties were due to drowning and wall collapse. One person was missing in Keonjhar district.
"It is a matter of relief that a major flood has been averted. Around 10.87 lakh cusec water is now flowing in Mahanadi river at Mundali and the volume is fast decreasing," Mohapatra said.
The peak level of water flow at Mundali was restricted to around 11 lakh cusec as against over 12 lakh cusec anticipated earlier, he said.
