Bhubaneswar: The flood situation in Odisha remained grim today with some rivers still in spate after Cyclone Phailin dumped heavy rains while 75,000 marooned people were left to be evacuated in Balasore and Jajpur districts. Elsewhere in the region, three days of downpour due to the 'peripheral effect' of the cyclone has caused Panchet dam of Damodar Valley Corporation in Jharkand to breach its danger mark.

Relief and restoration work was stepped up today in areas ravaged by twin calamities of the cyclone and resultant floods in Odisha which affected over 1.2 crore people in more than 16,000 villages and claimed the lives of 26 persons five of whom perished in floods. Some swollen rivers, however, started to recede. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made an aerial survey of the flood-hit Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts this afternoon. Patnaik has decided not to celebrate his birthday tomorrow in view of the disaster, official sources said.

Describing the situation caused by sudden floods in the five districts that also included Keonjhar following cyclone induced heavy rains as "grave", Revenue and Disaster Management Minister S N Patro said over 75,000 people were still marooned in flood-hit Balasore and Jajpur districts. Cyclone and floods had affected around 1.2 crore people in 16,487 villages of 2009 gram panchayats and 43 urban local bodies spread over 148 blocks of the state, he said. While standing crops with over 6,25,408 hectare area had been destroyed, 3,33,070 houses were damaged due to the cyclone and floods, the minister said.