Kendrapara, September 21 (Odisha.in) Tidal waves have engrossed large areas of seaside villages in Orissa’s Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts within last two days due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal.
The waves have absorbed villages in Mahakalapada and Rajnagar blocks in Kendrapada district and Dahibara, Jhatibari, Nalabhedi, Japa, Junagheri and other seaside villages under Earasama block in Jagasinghpur district, a senior official told odisha.in.
“Major portions of saline embankments caved in Kajalapatia, Suniti, Batighar, Baulakani, Bagapatia , Kansarbadadandua, Jamboo and other villages of Mahakalapada block and Pentha, Koilipur, Kishorapur, Kundapur, Talachua and other villages under Rajnagar block on Thursday night marooning at least 12 seaside villages. About four thousand acres of agricultural fields have been submerged,” he added.
Tidal waves also have created breaches at 25 places on the saline embankments in the both the districts affecting more than 25,000 people were marooned and about three thousand acres of land are now under knee deep of sea water.
Vehicular communication on the16 km long road from Suniti to Badiha has been disrupted on Friday as it is now under two feet sea water.
“We have evacuated at least 1500 villagers on Friday,” said Kashinath Sahoo, district magistrate of Kendrapada.
Large tracts of paddy fields were damaged due to ingress of saline water. Shrimps from many prawn farms were also washed away in the tidal wave in these areas.
“Seawater often enters in the seaside villages during the high tide period due to non-repair of the saline embankment. About 60 sluice gates in the seaside villages of Rajnagar and Mahakalapada block are on the verge of collapse. But the authority is yet to repair it,” alleged Jagabandhu Nayak, former block chairman of Rajnagar.
District administration sources said, sea water has also entered into the 400-year-old Panchubarahi temple in Satabhaya besides damaging eight houses. “About 14 mud-walled houses collapsed in the tidal waves in village Gogua under Mahakalapada block,” it added.
Meanwhile, the district administration has warned the fishermen not to venture into the sea for fishing due to low pressure and also directed the district civil supply officer to stock sufficient kerosene, flattened rice and other dry foods in all the cyclone shelters.
Balaram Parida, former block chairman of Rajnagar alleged that the authority has failed to provide any helps to thousands of tidal wave affected villagers. “Due to inaccessibility to many remote areas, the officials have not provided any helps to the affected people. The district administration has also failed to arrange boats to rescue many villagers in the seaside areas,” he alleged.
Odisha.in