Odisha under an endless expanse of water after cyclone Phailin, floods

It's and endless expanse of water, water and water. Compared to cyclone Phailin, Ganjam district has now received 3 times more rain. The Rushikulya river has swallowed thousands of acres of rice fields and villages. Pic credit: Tejas Mehta

A central team will visit Odisha tomorrow to assess the damage caused by cyclone Phailin and subsequent floods, as the toll in flood-related incidents rose to 17. Pic credit: Tejas Mehta

The 12-member inter-ministerial team, led by Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Rashmi Goel, will be in the state until the end of the month. Pic credit: Tejas Mehta

Flood waters here have inundated so many fields that a 7-kilometre distance took 20 minutes to cover in a rubber motor boat. Pic credit: Tejas Mehta

Kuccha mud huts dot the Barapalli village, which is the worst-hit in the floods, and therefore they have suffered much more. Most vulnerable are farm labourers who have little means of survival and have lost everything in the floods. Pic credit: Tejas Mehta

Free community kitchens have already begun. Rations supplied after the cyclone have come in handy. Pic credit: Tejas Mehta

Rice and a potato vegetable were being cooked in large quantities for the village folk. But the complaint remains that the quantity of rations is too little. Pic credit: Tejas Mehta