Air dropping of food was suspended after five days on Friday, with flood waters receding in the Mahanadi delta in Orissa, as a fresh flood in Baitarani threatened three districts.
With restoration of roads in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jajpur, Puri, Nayagarh and Boudh districts, relief teams were able to reach the flood-hit areas by road, Chief Secretary B.K. Patnaik told reporters in Bhubaneswar. “There is no need now to continue air dropping of food and relief materials as water has receded in most areas in the coastal region,” Mr. Patnaik said after taking stock of the situation.
Four helicopters of Indian Air Force and Navy had been air dropping food and relief materials for the last five days.
Meanwhile, a fresh flood threatened a large number of villages in Jajpur, Bhadrak and Keonjhar districts following heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of River Baitarani, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister S.N. Patro said. The river was flowing above the danger level at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district and Anandpur in Keonjhar district and the authorities have been alerted, the Minister said.
