Flash floods, rains claim 16 lives in Orissa
Flash floods triggered by heavy rains claimed at least 16 lives in the past one week in Orissa where the rising water level in all the major rivers on Tuesday disrupted road communication in several places.
At least seven persons were killed and about 20 went missing after a bus fell into a rivulet and was swept away at Madhyakhanda under Daspalla area of Nayagarh district last night, official sources said.
Efforts were on to retrieve the bus from flood waters of Brutang river, they said, adding that a compensation of Rs one lakh each to the families of those killed has been sanctioned.
Three persons were swept away when they were crossing the swollen Terumadi river in Bioandhugaon area of Koraput district, the revenue control room here said.
Two persons, including a fisherman, drowned in Ramiala rivulet in Tigiria area of Keonjhar district, while two others, including a school teacher were swept away in flood waters in Kandhamal district, the sources said.
In Ganjam district, a 16-year-old girl was killed when a wall collapsed yesterday, while a man was swept away by flood waters in Bhanjanagar area, they said.
A number of breaches on roads caused by incessant rains for the last one week snapped important links, the sources said adding that road links between Bhubaneswar and Nayagarh and Rayagada and Koraput were also cut off.
