Heavy rains lash flood-hit Orissa, more to follow

Heavy rains triggered by a fresh low pressure system compounded the plight of the flood-affected people in coastal Orissa today though flood waters receded from most of the deluged areas.

Fresh rainfall since Tuesday evening hampered relief and reconstruction operations and added to the woes of the people still sheltered on river embankments and other open spaces for about a fortnight, official sources said in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.

The meteorological centre said under the impact of the system, intensified into a Well Marked Low Pressure Area, heavy to very heavy rain may occur at some places over north and south Orissa during the next two days.

The met office also predicted surface wind with a speed between 45 and 65 kmph along and off coastal region and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea.

Incessant rains lashed most parts of coastal region in Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Kendrapara, Khurda, Jajpur and Bhadrak districts, the sources said.

It was alleged that a large number of flood-hit people in these areas are yet to get polythene sheets from the administration despite chief minister Naveen Patnaik's instruction issued over a week ago to the officials to make arrangements for the same immediately.

A senior official claimed that distribution of polythene and other materials was affected as officials in the districts were busy in the exercise of preparing damage assessment to be submitted to the Centre as early as possible.