Bagada,: Due to unseasonal rain, Neelaberi Sahi in Debagarh town has been heavily waterlogged. Rainwater surged through the streets, breaking walls and entering homes, creating a situation that resembled a flash flood. The poor drainage system has worsened the situation. Following heavy rainfall on Monday, water accumulated in the low-lying area of Neelaberi Sahi. With the roads submerged, transportation was severely disrupted.
Rainwater even entered homes, damaging furniture and household items. Several people’s thatched houses have collapsed. In the case of Pana Munda, water entered his house when the mud wall collapsed, soaking rice and other stored items.
A wall collapsed due to rain.
Furniture was damaged as well. Similarly, the boundary wall of Prabhati Mallik’s house also collapsed. Last year, drain water had caused the same wall to fall. Although a new wall had been built, it collapsed again due to the same issue. The persistent drainage problem has led to this kind of mismanagement. Local residents complained that despite this being a long-standing issue, the administration has not taken any proper action.
Since the area lies at a lower elevation, rainwater from across the town flows into this drain. The problem has arisen due to flaws in the construction of the drainage system. On the other hand, Debagarh Municipal Council’s Vice Chairperson Prajit Kumar Bhoj and Executive Officer Krupasindhu Swain, along with other officials from the public works department, visited the area and assessed the situation. Local residents have demanded immediate assistance for the affected families and a permanent solution to the drainage issue.