Flood situation worsens,Orissa CM seeks Centre help

Over 900 villages have been completely marooned,said officials.

Surging waters from a swollen Mahanadi and its tributaries continued to wreak havoc in Orissa,affecting more than 2,800 villages in 19 districts and leaving 16 dead as the Naveen Patnaik government Sunday sought central funds for relief.

The flood has so far affected over 13 lakh people,most of them in the coastal districts of Puri,Kendrapara,Cuttack,Jagatsinghpur as well as the districts of Sambalpur,Boudh and Sonepur. Over 900 villages have been completely marooned,said officials.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik,who undertook an aerial review of the affected areas on Sunday,said the state would pitch for central assistance. Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra said food packets would be airdropped in the submerged villages.

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A total of four helicopters will be used for airdropping the food packets. A naval ship from Vishakhapatnam with a helicopter and relief material is set to join the operation

While a helicopter meant for anti-Naxal drive has been kept ready for airdropping of food and other essentials. So far more than 94,000 people have been rescued.

The state government has also issued directions to district collectors to close schools in their respective areas in view of the situation.

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