The devastating flood situation in Odisha is slowly improving. Flooded rivers like Brahmani, Baitarani, Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha are receding. However, many areas of Jajpur and Kendrapada districts are still marooned with flood water, while thousands of flood-hit people are, somehow, managing their life with relief not reaching them after seven days of the devastating flood. The death toll in the second phase of flood in Odisha has reached 38 and three people are still missing in flood water.Normalcy is slowly returning to flood-devastated Odisha with situation improving in most of the affected districts. With no rain in any parts of the state for the last four days, major rivers in Odisha have started receding. However, flood situation in areas like Bari and Jajpur town in Jajpur district and Aul, Rajkanika and Rajnagar of Kendrapada continues to be grim with thousands of people crying for food for post a number of days of the flood. As many as 1,362 villages are still marooned, with 3,569 and 12 cities in 10 of the 30 districts badly affected in the flood.Many people in the marooned villages are living in river embankments and other high lands as flood water has either entered or damaged their houses. Five helicopters have been pressed into service for the relief operation. Meanwhile, state government has cancelled Durga puja holidays of all its officials who are engaged in relief, rescue and assessement work of the flood.Meanwhile, a 10-member Central team has started assessing the loss due to the flood in Odisha and will submit its report to the Centre soon for assistance. In the first phase, flood in Mahanadi river system in the second week of this month had affected 3.4 million people in 19 districts, causing 50 human casualties and a loss of Rs 2,122 crore to the State.