Odisha: 400 students stranded as floodwaters enter residential school

KENDRAPARA: Around 400 students, including 150 girls, were left stranded at a government-run residential school in Odisha's Kendrapara district after floodwater entered the campus on Sunday, an official said. The school is located in a low-lying area at Kulasahi village under Penthapala gram panchayat in Pattamundai block.

Fresh flooding was reported in several low-lying areas of the district as the Brahmani river was flowing above the danger mark. The district had witnessed flooding barely a fortnight ago.

The two-storey school houses around 400 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students, including 150 girls.

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"As the girl students are housed on the ground floor, the local administration has started evacuating them to another residential school at Aul. Motorised boats have been pressed into service for the evacuation," Pattamundai Block Development Officer Sheetal Agarwal said.

Around 250 boys staying on the first floor are comparatively safe and are being closely monitored, she said. "If the situation worsens, they too will be evacuated to a safer location," the BDO said.

The administration is keeping a close watch on the rising water level and has kept rescue and evacuation arrangements in readiness.