Odisha: Aska town stuck in the sludge of a devastating flood
ASKA: Sumitra Lenka’s house is a picture of mess as she rummages through the accumulated sludge on the floor, desperately trying to retrieve her bank passbook, Aadhaar card and other documents.
Simanchal Behera, a resident of Kumbhar Street, is equally distressed. All his belongings remained submerged for more than 24 hours. He does not know what to salvage first. His biggest worry, however, is arranging books and notebooks for his child, all of which were destroyed in the floods.Aska presents a picture of devastation. The small town in Ganjam district is covered in slush, with household belongings strewn across the streets. The floodwaters have receded, but the town remains stuck in mud, debris and collective loss.
Three days after the deluge inundated the town, residents are counting their losses and salvaging whatever is left behind. The waters rose so rapidly that many had little time to react. Families in low-lying areas rushed to the upper floors of relatives’ houses, while others struggled to find safe shelter.“It has been three days without drinking water and mobile network connectivity is patchy. On October 28, floodwater gushed into our streets. Before we could realise what was happening, the water level had risen menacingly, submerging everything in its path,” said G Surya Prakash Rao, a senior advocate and member of the Aska Bar Association.
According to Rao, the town remained inundated for more than 28 hours, with several localities under more than four feet of water until Saturday morning.With the waters receding, residents are now grappling with a shortage of drinking water. Long queues have formed before tankers, while the disruption of piped water supply has compounded the hardship. Although water was supplied in some areas until the morning of October 29, the supply stopped thereafter, said social worker Sankar Sahu, pointing to the watermarks left on buildings. Power supply was also disrupted soon after the floodwaters entered the town.
Bottled water and supplies arranged by voluntary organisations have provided some relief to families who have lost food stocks, clothing and other essentials.The damage to small businesses has been extensive. Grocery, fertiliser, book and garment shops remained submerged for nearly two days, destroying stocks and merchandise. With outlets covered in sludge and goods rendered unusable, traders face the prospect of substantial investment before they can resume business. Prafula Sahu, who owns Natraj Studio, said his establishment was completely flooded and there was little he could do to save it.
The floods also took a toll on domestic animals. Cattle and other animals died in the inundation, and their carcasses remained unattended in several localities, raising a stench and fears of disease outbreaksThe Fire Services wing installed 21 high mast lights to facilitate relief and restoration measures. The Aska sub-divisional hospital resumed operations after the floodwaters receded. However, thick layers of mud inside the building forced doctors to attend to patients outside the premises.
Residents have alleged that the initial response of the local urban body, elected representatives and administration was inadequate, leaving families to fend for themselves during the most critical hours. Voluntary groups and organisations, meanwhile, have stepped in to provide drinking water and assist with relief and cleaning operations.