Bhadrak: As many as 27 panchayats in two blocks of Odisha’s Bhadrak district are reeling under flood due to rising water level of Baitarani river for second time.
The floodwater of the river has entered hundreds of villages under Bhandaripokhari and Dhamnagar blocks of the district. The water level of Baitarani crossed the danger mark at Akhuapada on Sunday. It was flowing at 18.95 metre against the danger mark of 17.83 mere, according to official sources.
Paddy crop in thousands of acre of farm land in 7 panchayats under Bhandaripokhari block has been damaged. The crop has been submerged under floodwater gushing through the escape source on the river embankment.
The communication on Jajpur-Bhandaripokhari road has been severed as knee-deep floodwater was flowing over it.
Similarly in Dhamagar block, heavy flow of floodwater from Baitarani passed through escapes on the embankments at Mallimahar, Gaurangpur and Kanti. As a result, crop land in 20 panchayats has been waterlogged. Several villages have been cut off from mainland as water was flowing over connecting roads.
In Chandbali block also, agriculture land in Aradi, Nandapur and Sundarpur panchayats has been inundated.
Meanwhile, the district collector has advised the people living along the banks of Baitarani to shift to higher land in anticipation of rise in water level of the river.
It may be noted that the floodwater from Baitarani inundated several areas in the district following heavy rain triggered by low pressure in Bay of Bengal on August 15 and 16.
