55-yr-old man swept away in flooded drain as rain batters Sambalpur

Sambalpur: A 55-year-old man drowned while attempting to cross a flooded drain on a scooter here late Sunday night as incessant rain battered the district, triggering severe waterlogging, disrupting normal life, and forcing authorities to declare a holiday for educational institutions in the worst-hit areas.The victim, Suresh Chandra Maharana (55), was riding with Gobardhan Chand (55) near Bagdiapada around 11.30 pm when the scooter entered a submerged stretch of road. The strong current swept away both the vehicle and its riders.While Gobardhan survived by clinging to a tree branch, Suresh was carried away by the floodwaters. Fire services personnel launched an overnight search operation and found his body around 2 pm on Monday, a short distance from the spot from where he went missing, said district fire officer (Sambalpur) Sudam Kisko.

Residents rescued Gobardhan.Recalling the incident, Gobardhan said they underestimated the depth and force of the floodwater. “As the scooter entered the submerged road, the current swept us away. I managed to reach the edge of the drain and hold onto a tree, but Suresh was dragged away,” he said.Collector (Sambalpur) Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar said financial assistance would be provided to the deceased’s family as per govt norms.

He urged people not to enter flooded roads or drains during heavy rain.The tragedy unfolded amid heavy rainfall in Sambalpur district over the past 24 hours. The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation area received 220 mm of rainfall by 7 am on Monday, while Dhanakauda block recorded 188 mm. Several roads remained submerged under knee-deep water, while floodwater entered houses in low-lying localities.As a precautionary measure, the district administration declared a holiday for all schools, colleges and anganwadi centres in these areas.

Localities including Budharaja Hill Top, Pradhanpada, Gopalmal and Saraswati Vihar were inundated.Teams from the municipal corporation, fire services and police have been working round the clock since Sunday night to rescue stranded residents, clear waterlogged areas and restore normalcy. Authorities have arranged cooked meals for around 600 affected people and opened four flood relief shelters for those displaced by the flooding.The administration has appealed to residents to remain vigilant, avoid waterlogged roads and flooded drains, and strictly follow official advisories until the weather situation improves.