Orissa flood toll mounts to 48

Heavy rains derailed flood relief efforts in Orissa , compounding misery of lakhs of victims as toll due to the deluge mounted to 48.

Heavy rains derailed flood relief efforts in Orissa on Wednesday, compounding misery of lakhs of victims as toll due to the deluge mounted to 48.

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18 of the state's 30 districts still remained marooned due to the flooding of Mahanadi's delta region, affecting over 40 lakh people, official sources said.

Widespread rains triggered by low pressure lashed vast areas in the worst affected districts of Cuttack, Puri, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur where many people were still to get relief materials and proper shelter.

Naval teams and personnel of the central para-military forces gave momentum to hitherto tardy relief and rescue operation, but the entire exercise still remained inadequate in view of limited manpower and inadequate number of boats, they said.

As many as 3,76,672 people have been evacuated to safer places in the flood-affected areas so far with the help of air force choppers and 1,510 boats, state Revenue secretary GVV Sarma said.

Notwithstanding subsiding water level in rivers including Mahanadi, gushing waters from over 100 breaches continued to submerge fresh areas engulfing village after village.