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Incessant rains in and around Odisha capital Bhubaneswar have resulted in flash floods crippling normal life. Residents of the city were quick to blame the civic agencies for the bad upkeep of the sewerage system in the city. Most of the families were caught unawares by the flash floods. “As you can see our condition here. It is very difficult to move out of here, nobody can go even by walk. We approached the local councilor, but he asked us to go and meet the mayor, to whom have also given a representation about the situation,” said C Ravi, a resident of Bairagi Nagar in Bhubaneswar . “We were told that administrative officials and the SDO (Sub Divisional Officer) would be sent to look into the matter but simply they are not taking any action,” he added. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded due to roads either being cut-off by the floodwaters or closed as a precautionary measure. Another resident lamented over the damage caused by the floods and warned that if the authorities further delay in improving conditions, the situation could go from bad to worse. “Well, you can yourself see the condition here. Such a situation does not happen even in villages, we are living in a city only for namesake. This condition has arisen due to lack of proper maintenance of drainage system,” claimed Bibhuranjan Mohanty, another resident. “Forget about food, we have not been able to use toilet, we have informed the officials about our grievances but they are not ready to lend an ear to our woes,” he added. With the waters showing no signs of receding, Bhubaneswar ’s residents have expressed anxiety and fear over the lack of assistance from the local administration.

Bhubaneswar hit by flash floods