Odisha rain claims 2 lives in Gajapati district, 2 missing

Bhubaneswar, Oct 3 (PTI) Two persons died and two others went missing in rain-related incidents triggered by a depression in Odisha’s Gajapati district, officials said on Friday.

The deceased were identified as Trinath Nayak of Bastriaguda gram panchayat and Laxman Nayak of Meripalli gram panchayat, the district administration said.

While Trinath died in a landslide at Bastriaguda under R Udayagiri police station, Laxman drowned in Ludru Nala, an official said.

In a post on X, Gajapati District Collector Madhumita said, "Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has expressed grief over the death of two persons in the rain and landslide. The CM has directed to provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased persons from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)." Meanwhile, the district administration, with the help of police and fire services personnel, has launched a search operation to locate a father and son duo — Kartika Sabar (70) and his son Rajib — who went missing after a landslide near Mohulsahi, Pekata. Personnel from Rayagada police, ODRAF and fire services have joined the operation.

"Apart from six teams of fire services personnel, a dog squad have also been engaged in the search operations. However, there was no trace of the missing duo," a senior official said.

State Transport and Commerce Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena visited Gajapati district and met the family members of Sabar. It is suspected that they might be trapped under the debris after the landslide.

The minister also inspected the affected areas and expressed concern over the incident.

In its 5.30 pm bulletin, the IMD said the depression over interior Odisha moved nearly northwards and lay centered around 20 km south-southeast of Raigarh (Chhattisgarh), 50 km west-northwest of Sambalpur (Odisha), about 140 km east-southeast of Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh) at 2.30 pm.

"It is very likely to continue to move nearly northwards across interior Odisha and adjoining north Chhattisgarh and weaken gradually into a well-marked low pressure during the next 12 hours," the IMD said.

Three days of incessant rain have caused widespread damage in southern Odisha. “More than two dozen villages have been cut off due to landslides, road blockades and damaged bridges in Gajapati and Ganjam districts,” a senior revenue department official said. Three persons were also injured in wall collapse incidents.

The three-day incessant rain in Odisha has left a trail of destruction in many parts of the state, particularly in the southern region. Apart from the death of two persons and another two going missing, three people were injured in a wall collapse, officials said.

While Gajapati district has been worst-hit, other southern districts such as Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Malkangiri have also witnessed washing away of roads, rainwater flowing over bridges and uprooting of trees.

"Communication with more than two dozen villages has been cut off from the rest of the state due to the natural calamity," a senior revenue department official said.

Train services on the Kottavalasa–Kirandul and Koraput–Rayagada routes under the Waltair division were affected after boulders fell on tracks due to incessant rain, an East Coast Railway (ECoR) official said.

According to the IMD, Thuamual Rampur in Kalahandi recorded the highest rainfall at 352 mm in the past 24 hours till 8.30 am on Friday. R Udayagiri and Gumma in Gajapati reported 291 mm and 211 mm, respectively, while Junagarh in Kalahandi recorded 210 mm. Ten places received very heavy rainfall of 12–20 cm, and 42 places reported 7–11 cm, the IMD said.

The IMD has forecast rainfall across Odisha and placed Sundergarh district under an ‘orange’ alert for heavy to very heavy rain with thunderstorms and winds at 30–40 kmph. PTI AAM RG AAM MNB