Rains in Odisha abate, but flood grips more areas of Balasore

While fresh areas of Balasore district were submerged by the floodwaters of Subarnarekha river, BHUBANESWAR: Despite the rains subsiding, the flood situation in Odisha continued to remain grim with over 12.87 lakh individuals throughout seven districts affected.

Key points

• According to the situation report published by the SRC office, flood has affected more than 2.65 lakh residents in 524 villages of 12 blocks of Balasore district.
• Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil informed mediapersons on Thursday that Subarnarekha river witnessed peak flooding at 3 am on the day.
• Floodwater inundated the state highway-57 connecting Jaleswar and Chandaneswar in Balasore district, bringing vehicular movement to a complete halt.
• Flood has affected over 2.4 lakh individuals in Kendrapara district while situation in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts has improved.
• Water-level in Subarnarekha river rose due to discharge from Galudih barrage in neighbouring Jharkhand.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil informed mediapersons on Thursday that Subarnarekha river witnessed peak flooding at 3 am on the day. It caused fresh inundation of 28 gram panchayats in Bhograi block and 20 gram panchayats in Baliapal block of Balasore district.

Floodwater inundated the state highway-57 connecting Jaleswar and Chandaneswar in Balasore district, bringing vehicular movement to a complete halt. The river was flowing above danger level at 11.6 metre at Rajghat in Balasore district. As villages and paddy fields were submerged, extra relief and rescue teams were rushed to affected areas, Patil stated.

"Water-level in Subarnarekha river rose due to discharge from Galudih barrage in neighbouring Jharkhand. It is projected to drop by Friday. Budhabalanga and Jalaka rivers are additionally showing a rising trend but they too will come down, " the SRC stated.

According to the situation report published by the SRC office, flood has affected more than 2.65 lakh residents in 524 villages of 12 blocks of Balasore district. Over 79, 842 individuals were evacuated to safer places or flood shelters.

Meanwhile, even as the situation has began improving in Jajpur and Bhadrak districts, a number of villages in both were still marooned with individuals living in river embankments. Out of the over 4.29 lakh individuals affected in Jajpur district, over 1.31 lakh have been evacuated. Situation in Bhadrak additionally remained grim with more than 1.96 lakh residents living in flood shelters or other safer places.

Taken together, the developments around rains in Odisha abate, but flood grips more areas of Balasore point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.