Orissa's special relief commissioner, P.K. Mohapatra, told CNN that authorities have set up hundreds of free food kitchens for about 170,000 residents, displaced temporarily by the deluge.

Floods swamped 19 of Orissa's 30 districts last week after what he explained were excess monsoon rains in a neighbouring region.

"The situation is now limping back to normal. Many of the displaced people have gone back to their homes," Mohapatra said.

Hundreds of people die every year across India from monsoon flooding.

At least 788 people have lost their lives so far because of flooding since June this year in different parts of the country, India's home ministry said on September 6.

CNN