Berhampur: Nearly 4,000 people from landslide-prone and other vulnerable areas of Ganjam and Gajapati districts have been evacuated to safer locations as torrential rain triggered by a deep depression continued to batter south Odisha for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.Authorities shifted around 3,500 people from vulnerable habitations in Gajapati district and more than 460 residents to shelter camps in Ganjam. Officials said 145 people from nine villages situated on hilltops in Ankuli, Buratal and Tumba panchayats under Patrapur block were moved to four shelter homes. Free meals were being provided to evacuees at the camps.Heavy rain triggered landslides and uprooted trees at several locations, disrupting road connectivity in both districts. A landslide was reported on the Paribeta road in Nuagada block of Gajapati. Traffic on the Ramagiri-R Udayagiri road was affected after trees were uprooted at three places, while another fallen tree blocked the Mohana-Taptapani road.In R Udayagiri area, eight houses were reportedly damaged in the rain.In Ganjam’s Patrapur block, a huge boulder rolled down from a hill and blocked the road between Tadakasahi and Ankuli, cutting off communication. Movement between Samantiapalli and Ichapuram in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh was also disrupted after trees fell near Samantiapalli.“We have shifted people from villages located in hilltop areas and deployed fire services personnel to clear blocked roads,” said Laxman Soren, BDO, Patrapur.During the 24 hours ending 8 am on Wednesday, Ganjam recorded an average rainfall of 62.03 mm. Berhampur (Gandhinagar) received the highest rainfall at 120 mm, followed by Chhatrapur (119 mm), Berhampur (Brajanagar) (117 mm), Rangeilunda and Gopalpur (93 mm each), and Patrapur (77.6 mm).Gajapati received an average rainfall of 79.19 mm during the same period. Mohana recorded the highest rainfall at 145 mm, followed by R Udayagiri (102.3 mm), Paralakhemundi (87.8 mm), Nuagada (77.6 mm) and Gosani (68 mm), officials said.hrusikeshm@gmail.com