Gajapati district reopens tourist attractions post cyclone Montha

Berhampur: Gajapati administration on Saturday reopened all tourist places and waterfalls in the district for visitors. These locations were closed about a week ago due to cyclone Montha.

Among these tourist places are Mahendragiri, BN Palace, Paralakhemundi, and the Buddhist monastery at Jeerang. “There was no major damage to the tourist spots from the recent rain,” said Arun Kumar Tripathy, district tourist (in-charge) officer.However, visitors have been restricted from entering the waterfalls, as they are experiencing huge inflows due to the recent heavy rainfall under the influence of cyclone Montha.

The major waterfalls that attract large footfalls are Gandahati, Budubuda in Rayagada block, Khasada and Bramhanadei in Mohana block, Mankadadian and Lingadhara in R. Udayagiri block, and Kinchilingi and Purigumi in Nuagada and Kashinagar blocks, respectively.Tourists from far-off places in the state and outside visit these tourist places during winter. The Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border district was wrecked by landslides under the influence of cyclone Montha. In the first week of last month, the district was also hit by massive landslides due to heavy rainfall, which claimed three lives while two went missing.