A severe flood situation has gripped the Kendrapara district of Odisha, submerging a residential school completely in water and trapping more than 300 young children inside the Kulasahi Ashram School located in the Pattamundai block. The floodwaters have not only surrounded the campus and classrooms but have also inundated the hostels, kitchens, toilets, and the main approach road leading to the institution. The circumstances are critical, making immediate evacuation a daunting task for the authorities. Following continuous rainfall and the opening of the gates of the Rengali dam, the water level of the Brahmani river surged rapidly, pushing it above the danger mark and sending gushing floodwaters directly into the school premises, effectively cutting off the institution from nearby areas.
Classrooms and Hostels Submerged in Water
According to local residents and eyewitnesses, the water level within the school campus was merely ankle-deep until Sunday morning, but it escalated at an alarming pace within hours, reaching a height of 8 to 10 feet. Local youth Rashmiranjan Mohanty stated that the floodwaters of the Brahmani river rushed toward the school with immense force. More than 300 young students currently reside and remain trapped inside the Ashram hostel. Prompted by these dire conditions, locals and the school administration are urging authorities to launch immediate rescue operations to safeguard the children.
Roads Cut Off and Essential Facilities Flooded
The floodwaters have paralyzed essential amenities at the school alongside submerging rooms. The main access road leading to the school is entirely underwater, rendering standard vehicular transport impossible. Tubewells, the school kitchen, and toilets are completely submerged as well. Local resident Pratap Padhi noted that stored food faces the risk of spoilage, while clean drinking water has turned into a major concern for the children. With power supplies cut off, the students are forced to live in darkness. Furthermore, the risk of venomous snakes and other dangerous aquatic creatures entering the floodwaters has heightened concerns regarding the safety of the children.
Hostel Evacuation Challenges and Relief Measures
Amid widespread appeals from the school administration and locals to initiate rescue efforts, Pattamundai BDO Sheetal Agarwal stated that shifting around 300 children away from the hostel at this juncture is exceptionally difficult. He explained that current arrangements focus on keeping the children safe within the hostel premises. Drinking water bottles are being supplied to the children, and food arrangements are also being organized. According to reports, an ODRAF team has been deployed near the school to handle the emergency.
Growing Parent Anxiety and Urgent Rescue Demands
Witnessing the raging river current and surrounding floodwaters has left the parents of the trapped children deeply distressed. Reaching the vicinity of the school has become perilous for locals as well. Mritunjaya Sahu, the father of a student, shared that people are terrified to approach the school due to the intense river current, leaving parents anxious about the safety of their children. The school headmaster and the management committee have urged the administration to deploy powerboats alongside ODRAF or NDRF teams to evacuate all children to safe locations as swiftly as possible.
Imminent Risks If Rescue Operations Are Delayed
Local inhabitants fear that if the Pattamundai block administration and the district emergency officer fail to accelerate relief and rescue operations, the situation could deteriorate further. The foremost challenges include protecting over 300 children, supplying drinking water and food, and transporting relief materials across the flooded expanse surrounding the school. The turbulent water currents encircling the institution complicate the rescue mission. Attention is now focused entirely on the relief and rescue operations initiated by the administration.
