Landslide cuts off 18 villages in Malkangiri

Bhubaneswar/Malkangiri: People of 18 villages in Malkangiri district were cut off from the rest of the State due to a major landslide following heavy rains due to a well-marked low-pressure. The landslide happened near Tumba Padar village at Bayapadar ghat road at Nakamamudi gram panchayat under Korukonda block of Malkangiri district on Saturday noon.

Amid heavy rain, incidents of landslides have been reported from Malkangiri, and Koraput’s Lamataput and Nandapur areas, affecting vehicular movement. The Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office has confirmed a landslide in Malkangiri. It stated that SRC Satyabrata Sahu held discussions with the Malkangiri Collector and road clearance work is on. Traffic movement will be restored soon, it added.

Meanwhile, the IMD, in a bulletin, said Odisha may continue to experience heavy rain till July 31 under the influence of the well-marked low-pressure area over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha. The system is likely to move west northwestwards in the next 24 hours, the bulletin said.

“There is a warning for heavy rain at one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore on July 29. Heavy rain is also likely at one or two places in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts on July 31,” the IMD said.

For August 1, the IMD said that heavy rainfall may occur at one or two places in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Sundargarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Deogarh, Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada.