17 killed as floods in Orissa continue to play havoc

Flood in Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, Budhabalang and Baitarani rivers affected 14 lakh people in 19 of the 30 districts of the state where 17 people were killed and 11 others are missing. including Marsaghai, Mahakalpada, Garadpur, Pattamundai in Kendrapara district, Tirtol and Kujang in Jagatsinghpur district and Gop in Puri district. Major rivers of Orissa including Mahanadi, Brahmani, Kathajodi, Baitarani, Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga, Bansadhara and Jalaka were in spate following heavy downpour triggered by a low pressure. Flood waters of the Baitarani river submerged over 40 villages in Jajpur and Dasarathpur blocks of Jajpur district affecting around 22,000 people, In Balasore district, around 135 villages were submerged by flood waters of Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga and Jalaka river affecting about one lakh people In Bhadrak district, several villages were inundated as flood waters of the Baitarani submerged vast areas including 528 hectares of agriculture land in Dhamnagar and Bhandari Pokhari areas.