(Bhubaneswar, Aug 21, IANS) Heavy rains in Orissa over the last week have claimed at least 14 lives and affected more than 200,000 people with more than six million hectares of agricultural land being inundated.
Officials said Monday that 11 of the state's 30 districts have been hit by the floods, the third round since July. The worst hit are Balasore and Bhadrak districts in coastal Orissa.
Road communications have been severely affected in many parts while thousands of people are marooned, the revenue department official said.
The met office holds out little hope of the situation improving and has forecast more rains in the next couple of days.
The depression formed over the Bay of Bengal last week has crossed the state, but now there is an open air cyclonic circulation, said Bhubaneswar meteorological department official G. Sahu.
"Under its influence, the state is likely to witness isolated and heavy rainfall in the next 24 hours. We have warned fishermen not to venture into the sea," Sahu told IANS.
According to data recorded at 8.30 a.m. Monday, the state capital received 27.4 mm rainfall over 24 hours.
The first round of floods in July killed 10 people.