Rain, floods leave behind trail of destruction
   Date :04-Sep-2020

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 A woman stands in front of her house brought down by recent deluge in Gondia.
 
 
District Correspondent
 
BHANDARA/GONDIA,
 
Total 8251 families affected in five tehsils of Bhandara
 
The flood fury of Wainganga river has turned the life of 27,347 people from 8,251 families in Bhandara district upside down. There has been damage to life, property and crops. As the water receded after three days and people returned to their houses, shops and farm, there was a flood of emotions to witness the loss. The flood, probably the worst since 1994, had left behind a trail of destruction. The administration has started conducting survey of losses. As per preliminary assessment, 4 people and 54 cattle were swept away in the flood waters and crops on 26,812.54 hectare were destroyed.
 
The release of water from Sanjay Gandhi Sarovar, Bawanthadi and Gosikhurd project wreaked havoc on villages in five tehsils of the district. The vehicular traffic on National Highway remained held up for two days even as local road connectivity was also broken. According to the District Disaster Management Officer Abhishek Naamdas, SDRFG and NDRF teams rescued 27,347 people from 104 villages and shifted then to safer places. They used boats to carry out the rescue work.
 
The affected people have been kept in 78 relief camps in five tehsils of the district. Now the administration has started survey and taking public health works to prevent spread of contagious and water borne diseases. The civic administration has also started fogging of affected areas within the limit of Municipal Council.
 
According to District Collector Sandeep Kadam, his administration was conducting relief work at war footing and providing face masks, sanitisers etc to people. Administration is also making arrangements for food and drinking water for people, he told. As far as loss to agriculture goes, rains ravaged crops on over 26,812.54 hectare land in 378 villages. Paddy, vegetables, soyabean, tur, turmeric and other crops have been completely washed away.