Thursday, September 15 2005 16:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Balasore: Floods triggered by heavy rains have affected about 30,000 people in 131 villages of Orissa's northern district of Balasore while two persons were swept away in the deluge, official sources said.

Seven of the 12 blocks of the district have been affected with Jaleswar and Basta blocks bearing the brunt as rivers there are spilling over their embankments, the sources said.

While two persons a man and his niece were swept away in the floodwaters yesterday, there were reports of two others being drowned in Jaleswar and Baliapal blocks. However, officials could not confirm the two fresh casualties.

Basta was badly hit as Jalaka river breached its embankments at six places, while jaleswar was affected by the waters of River Subarnarekha, the sources said adding it was apprehended that the floods might submerge new areas today (Sept15, 2005).

So far 870 persons were shifted to safer places as the Basta-Baliapal and Jaleswar-Bhograi roads were cut off following breaches.

The Jaleswar-Rajpur stretch of NH 60 was also affected and worried villagers cut through it to divert the floodwaters to ensure the safety of their habitations.

The Budhabalanga and Sona rivers had also submerged several areas in the district, the sources said.

Meanwhile, a report from Sambalpur said the inflow into the Hirakud dam over River Mahanadi had increased to 4.5 lakh cusecs, while about four lakh cusecs was being released into the river.

The inflow had increased following incessant rains in Chhatisgarh, which has the river's largest catchment's area.

The reservoir level had risen to 628.77 feet against the full reservoir level of 630 feet.

Official sources in Bhubaneswar said the dam authorities had opened 24 of its sluices and about seven lakh cusecs of water was expected to pass Mundali in the downstream over the next three days.

As a result, collectors of the coastal districts in the deltaic region of the Mahanadi had been alerted, the sources said.