Bhubaneswar: The total death toll due to the Cyclone Titli in the state of Odisha increased to 24 on Sunday after another two bodies were taken out of the rubble due to the landslide in Gajapati district, even as the flood situation in the state showed signs of improvement, officials said.

The last three days saw the state of Odisha heavy rains as the cyclone made its landfall on Gapalput in the southwestern part of the state.

A total of fifteen people were killed in the Friday landslide in Barghar area of Gajapati, which is about 50 km from district headquarters of town Paralakhemundi, Sub-Divisional Police Officer TP Patra said.

He said that a total of 13 bodes were discovered on Saturday night and another two more bodies were taken out of the rubble on Sunday morning.

Apart from those killed due to the landslide, flood and rain too caused its havoc claiming a total of three lives in Gajapati, and four and two in the area of Ganjam and Khandamal districts respectively, the officials said.

The situation of the flood in the state of Odisha has improved marginally, turning the task for administration officials to expedite relief and restoration operations with much ease, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) BP Sethi said.

Mr. Sethi said that the situation has “marginally improved in Ganjam and Gajapati districts, with water receding from low-lying areas and roads being cleared of tree trunks and electric poles”.

“Electricity supply has been restored in many places in Ganjam, one of the worst-affected districts in the state.

“In Gajapati, too, the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) personnel have been pressed into service to clear roads by removing the uprooted trees,” Sethi told reporters after a review meeting was held with Chief Secretary A P Padhi.

The Special Relief Commissioner said that the cyclone had already extensively damaged the standing crops in many affected areas and an assessment for the total loss will made out with in the next coming few days.

Mr. Sethi also said that the assistance will be administered to the affected farmers in accordance with the requirement.

In Ganjam area, vast areas of the two towns of Aska and Proshuttampur were totally submerged in rainwater over the past two days, District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said.

The relief team working there had to drop the food packets to the needy and stuck people by air, he said.

The SRC said that floodwater situation has substantially subsided in Ganjam, Gajapati and Rayagada districts in the past 24 hours.

“As people are returning homes following improvement in weather conditions, food will not be provided in the relief camps in these districts anymore,” he said.

Commenting over the landslip incident in Gajapat, Sethi said that the state government has taken a decision to grant Rs. 4 lakh ex gratia to families of each of the deceased.

To make the restoration work faster, three additional ODRAF and two NDRF teams will be dispatched to Gajapati, he said.

“Though, it will take time to restore the flood-affected areas, the subsiding water level at major rivers has brought relief to the people.

“The Budhabalanga river is flowing much below the danger mark near Barunighat,” Sethi said.

The SRC said that the situation needs to be changed to get better in Mayurbhanj district, where villagers are now too reeling under flood-like situation, the SRC said.

“The water from overflowing Budhabalanga and Gangahara rivers has gushed into around 14 villages in Badasahi block on Mayurbhanj.

“Road communication between Basta and Baliapal too continues to remain disrupted with Jalaka river still flowing above the danger mark,” he added.

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