BHUBANESWAR, Aug 30: At least eight people have been killed and close to 2.6 million affected by floods caused during the past few days of heavy rainfall in the east Indian coastal state of Orissa, officials said on Saturday.

The deaths occurred mostly when homes collapsed, though one person was swept away by the raging waters, officials said.

Eleven of the 30 districts of the state have been affected by the floods, which have disrupted roads and communications in several places and caused massive damage to crops and private property.

At least 127,000 hectares of crop area has been affected, officials said.

The town of Banki, about 64 kilometres from state capital Bhubaneswar, has practically been cut off from district headquarters Cuttack, forcing the government to mount immediate relief and rescue operations.

Orissa Revenue Minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan said he has asked the district administration to distribute relief material in Banki, where about 120,000 people have been severely affected.

Harichandan described the situation as serious but under control.

“There is no need for panic as the government is doing its best,” he said.

However, sources said the government was extremely worried about the scheduled discharge of water from the upstream Hirakud reservoir on the Mahanadi river later in the day, with the water expected to reach the coastal belt either Saturday night or Sunday morning.

20 DROWN: Twenty people were feared dead after a flash flood submerged a bus crossing a causeway near Shimla, officials said on Saturday.