Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi will conduct an aerial survey of affected areas of flood-hit Balasore district on Wednesday.
Heavy rainfall triggered by Deep Depression over the past four days has exacerbated the flood situation in the district amid continuing rise in the water levels of Subarnarekha, Budhabalang, and Jalaka rivers. Subarnarekha river was flowing at 10.70 mts, above the danger level of 10.36 mts, last evening. The Central Water Commission too projected a severe flood in Subarnarekha, stating that it may go past 10.95 metre mark, its highest peak, causing severe flood in Basta, Bhgarai and Baliapal blocks.
Floodwaters from Budhabalanga and Jalaka rivers, which also pass through the district, have also inundated villages in the three blocks due to slow discharge into the sea.
According to officials, the Subarnarekha has flooded over 250 villages and more than 400 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas in Bhograi, Jaleswar, Basta, Baliapal, and Sadar blocks. Preliminary assessments indicated that 264 villages across 56 gram panchayats and 17 wards in Jaleswar municipality have been affected.
During a review meeting chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Balasore Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas confirmed that while the Subarnarekha river’s water levels continued to rise, Budhabalang and Jalaka rivers had begun receding.
Mayurbhanj district, which also received heavy rainfall, faces a similar threat. Evacuations from low-lying areas in Badasahi, Betonati, Rashgovindpur, and Saraskana blocks have already begun. Pujari noted that Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, and Bhadrak districts have experienced significant rainfall over the past four days, causing rivers across northern Odisha to swell.