Tragedy of rains: Twin city vs underdeveloped area

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By Baijayanti Rout

Bhubaneswar, September 22: As torrential rains drenched portions of Odisha in rainy season, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack saw extensive flooding, causing major disruptions in normal life.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the state is predicted to experience additional rain these days (2023 rainy season). Water-logging in Bhubaneswar caused traffic bottlenecks and made driving difficult for those standing in knee-deep water. The capital city’s slums and low-lying districts have been drowned underwater.

The maximum rainfall of 118.4 mm was reported in Jharsuguda, followed by 68.2 mm in Chandbali, 35.2 mm in Bhubaneswar, 13.5 mm in Balasore, 7.2 mm in Puri, 10.6 mm in Sambalpur, and 6 mm in Paradip between 8.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m., according to IMD in july, 2023. Meanwhile, heavy rain was reported in numerous regions before 8.30 a.m. By 8.30 a.m., Bhubaneswar and Cuttack had received 14.7 mm and 41.8 mm of rain, respectively, according to the IMD.

According to the meteorological service, moderate to heavy rain is expected in the state capital and Cuttack. It warned of temporary traffic congestion, slick roadways, and wet roads in the city’s low-lying districts. IMD predicts heavy rain in several Odisha districts during the next four to five days. Moreover, in September, 2023 Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, residents are affected by rain. Odisha’s MeT department recorded 10.3 mm of rainfall in the previous 24 hours.

The average rainfall between July 1 and July 15 was 98.1 mm. The monthly average for July is 339.9 mm. According to the IMD, a cyclonic circulation is expected to emerge over the northwest Bay of Bengal around Sunday. A low-pressure area is expected to build over the same region in the next two to three days as a result of its impact.

Kandhamala (Odisha): The residents of a village (Bardi) in Kandhamal area are facing difficulties in the rainy season. Though there is no bridge in their local area river (Kalipenu) nearby village. I would like to share one instance which occurred in 17th September, 2023. Crossing a flooded river with a dead body on their shoulders, relatives had a remarkable escape.

The wire they were relying on snapped when they were wading through neck-deep water in Bagdi village, Kandhamal district. Following the death of Padmabati Pradhan, the relatives decided to use the cable to conduct the last rituals of the old women on the opposite side of the river. Because there is no bridge across the Kalipenu River, the people must always rely on the rope to traverse it. So they placed Padmabati’s body in the coffin and crossed the high river when the cable split and the family, together with the coffin containing the dead body, were carried away, but they managed to keep their cool and swam back to shore.

Not only Bagdi, but Badli, Drakeli, and 90 other family members rely on the flooded river. In both situations, tragedy exists in the twin city (Cuttack-Bhubaneswar) as well as the impoverished area of Odisha’s Kandhamal district. As a result, the government should take appropriate measures to make life easier during the rainy season. Locals claimed that despite constantly addressing the matter, administrative officials had taken no action to build a bridge over the river and also no proper drainage system. Not only should attention be paid to the twin cities, but also to the undeveloped areas in order to build a bridge over the river. Cities’ drainage systems should be rebuilt to eliminate the huge artificial floods that threaten local lives during the rain period.