Crop loss upto 80 percent due to flood: Central Team

"The crop loss varies from place to place. It could be about 50 to 80 percent in Sambalpur and Jajpur respectively. Agricultural fields were submerged by flood water for over a week. Therefore, there is no chance of getting any return from cultivation," M C Diwakar, Director, Directorate of Rice Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Patna, said.

Diwakar along with three others visited several places in western Orissa yesterday and some parts of Puri today.

The inter-ministerial central team led by O P Mahey, joint secretary in ministry of home affairs, along with six-members arrived here today to make a damage assessment report.

A four member sub-team had already visited Sambalpur, Bargarh and Jajpur districts and undertook an aerial survey of Kendrapara and Bhadrak.

"We have seen large scale damage of kuccha houses in Jajpur, Puri and other places," Sunil Kumar Verma, the chief engineer, ministry of Road Transport and Highways, said.

Mahey said the inter-ministrial group would submit its report to the Centre within 10 days after concluding their visit to flood hit districts in the state on September 30.

Out of the 30 districts in the state, 20 had been badly hit by the current floods where massive crop loss and house damage had been reported, Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra said while briefing the the central team here.

"According to preliminary report, the second spell of flood caused crop loss over 2.23 lakh hectare of agricultural land besides damaging 38,939 houses, Mohapatra said adding that the loss of crop and house damage was much more in the first spell of flood in Mahanadi river system.

He, however, said the state government would submit a detailed damage assessment report to the Centre after water fully receded in affected areas.

The state government had submitted a memorandum to the centre demanding Rs 2121 crore as compensation towards loss due to the first spell of flood in Mahanadi river system.