Bhubaneswar, July 9 (UNI) The floods in Balasore and Bhadrak districts of Orissa have claimed nine lives and affected over a million people, official sources said here today.

Whilst six deaths were reported from Balasore, three died in Bhadrak.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 to the kins of each person who died in the flood fury.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik made an aerial survey of the flood affected areas of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts yesterday to take stock of the situation.

Six districts- Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sundergarh and Jajpur have been badly affected after Budhabalanag, Bitarani, Brahmani, Jalaka and Subarnarekha rivers swelled, following heavy rain in the upper catchment areas.

The government rushed relief materials, including food and medicines, by boats to the ferry medicos and opened free kitchens in 90 centres.

Air dropping of dry foods in inaccesible areas of Balasore district had been launced since yesterday.

The government had also directed the officials to launch relief operations and undertake repair and restoration work of links on war footing.

The Sate Relief Commissioner was monitoring the supplies of rations to the affected areas and another group of officials had been asked to keep up vigil on the dams and embankments, sources said.

More than 8 lakh people have been affected as about 678 villages in 77 Gram Panchayats came under water. Over two lakh livestocks were affected in the worst flodded Balasore district alone, sources added.

In Bhadrak dsitrict more than 1.20 lakh people have been marooned, affecting some 2.2 lakh people directly. Nearly 17,080 hectares of crop areas were damaged in three worst affected blocks--Bhandaripokhari, Tihidi and Dhamnagar of the district.

Meanwhile, official sources said the water level in all the rivers in the affected districts was receding and flowing below the danger level.

UNI