Heavy rains cut off Odisha’s Malkangiri from rest of the state, Andhra Pradesh
By A Iswar Rao
Malkangiri, Sept. 10: Heavy rains lashed South Odisha on Monday, leaving several districts, including Malkangiri and Koraput, almost completely disconnected from the rest of the state. Major roads and bridges were submerged, severely disrupting transportation.
Reports indicate that road links to neighboring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were severed after the Piligada bridge was swept away due to incessant downpours in Malkangiri. The continued rainfall has crippled daily life across the district, with major rivers flowing above danger levels and several bridges coming under the storm water. This has reportedly brought vehicular movement to a standstill, leaving hundreds of trucks and other vehicles stranded on flooded roads to Koraput and Andhra Pradesh.
A section of the Piligada bridge was washed away due to the continuous rain. Several construction machines were also swept away after the rising river submerged the new bridge,” said a local source.
The situation in Malkangiri is expected to worsen as more rain is forecast. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange warning for heavy rainfall (7-11 cm) in the district until 8:30 am today (September 10).
According to the IMD, the deep depression formed over the Bay of Bengal crossed the Odisha coast near Puri between 10:30 am and 11:30 am on Monday.
The Odisha government has warned of a potential minor flood in the state. Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja reviewed the situation during a meeting at the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office in Bhubaneswar. Senior officials from various departments attended, focusing on the IMD’s forecast of more rain and the possibility of flash floods in the affected areas.
Koraput’s Kundra block received heavy rainfall, disrupting traffic, though the situation has since improved. Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services teams have been deployed to carry out rescue and relief operations in affected areas.
For the past few days, Malkangiri, Koraput, and other parts of the state have been receiving continuous heavy rainfall, complicating efforts to restore normalcy.
