India, July 30 -- With floodwaters continuing to affect several districts across Odisha, the Indian Red Cross Society began preparing and dispatching relief materials on Thursday to support affected families. The first phase of relief material distribution will focus on Bhadrak district, which has emerged as one of the worst flood-hit regions in the State.

Red Cross volunteers have started packing essential food items, including flattened rice, chhatua (roasted cereal mix), biscuits and sugar, to provide immediate assistance to families stranded by floodwaters.

Around 1,000 relief material packets are being readied for initial distribution, with each packet containing basic dry food items that can be consumed without elaborate cooking....