By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Orissa's flood casualties rolled out Thursday with officials saying at least 21 people were killed in the deluge caused by torrential rains last week.
The rains – caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal – led to flash floods in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts, affecting about 1.5 million people in nearly 2,000 villages.
Thirteen deaths were reported from the coastal district of Balasore alone, while six people were killed in the neighbouring district of Bhadrak, an official of the state revenue control room told IANS.
One person died in Jajpur and Keonjhar districts each, he said. All the deaths occurred from July 6 to 10.
The floods have caused extensive damage in the affected districts where thousands of mud houses have collapsed, rendering many people homeless. Several roads have also been cut off by floodwaters.
Hundreds of those affected allege they have not received any help from officials.
Residents of flood-affected Velora, Belagaon and Goripur villages in the worst-hit Balasore district blocked National Highway-60 at Tarini Square for over three hours Wednesday, demanding relief material.
With empty bowls and utensils, they blocked the national highway disrupting vehicular movement to West Bengal.
"Some villagers got flattened rice and molasses but that was not sufficient to manage entire families. Some others are yet to get any relief material. We don't even have safe drinking water," alleged Manoj Behera, a village leader.
The villagers however withdrew the blockade after a police official assured them that their demands would be met.
Similar stories are pouring in from other affected regions although the floodwaters have receded and people who were evacuated or had left home have started returning.