Bhubaneswar: The swirling floodwater of Baitarani river has entered several low-lying villages in four districts of Odisha.
According to reports, the river was flowing above the danger mark at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district. As against the danger level of 17.83 metres, the floodwater was flowing at a height of 18.41 metres by 10 am on Saturday. The outflow through Akhuapada barrage was 3500 cusecs of water per second.
The floodwater has crossed the embankments and entered more than 100 panchayats of Bhandaripokhari, Dhamnagar, Tihidi and Bhadrak blocks.
Road communication between Bhandaripokhari and Jajpur has been cut off due to overflowing of floodwater at a height of about two feet over Sarta bridge at Malada.
Apart from this, several hectares of paddy field in Aradi, Sundarpur, Nandapur and Olagi panchayats in Chandbali tehsil have been submerged. Road communication from Aradi to Jajpur and Bhadrak has been disrupted with floodwater flowing on the main road at several places.
In Keonjhar district, the floodwater of Baitarani has marooned several panchayats of Hatadihi and Ghasipura blocks in Anandpur sub-division. People of Raghabpur village have been cut off from the outside world with floodwater surrounding the village.
At Rajghat, the Baitarani was flowing at a height of 37.16 metres just below the danger level of 37.44 metres.
In Jajpur district, the floodwater of Baitarani has entered several low-lying areas along the river embankment in Korei, Jajpur and Dasarathpur Blocks.
Following heavy rain, rainwater has entered several villages in eight blocks of Kendrapara district. The district collector has directed the administration to shift people living in the low-lying areas to safer places. Due to the gradual rise in the water level of the Gobara river, the collector has asked the district administration to keep a watch on the river embankment areas.
Briefing mediapersons here on Saturday, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi said the Emergency Operation Centres at the state and district levels along with line departments are functioning round the clock.
In Jajpur district, one unit each of the ODRAF and NDRF have been deployed for relief and rescue operations while in Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts, one unit of ODRAF and one unit of NDRF have been deployed respectively. Besides, Fire Service teams are in readiness in these four districts, he added.
All field functionaries and mobile teams are asked to keep a close watch on the vulnerable and weak river and canal embankments and necessary arrangement have been made to plug the leakages and protect the weak points.
The collectors have been instructed to remain in readiness with power boats and country boats for evacuation, the SRC said, adding that six power boats each in Jajpur and Bhadrak districts are kept in readiness.
To accommodate the flood-hit people, flood and cyclone shelters are kept in readiness with lighting and sanitation arrangements. Cooked food and safe drinking water, health arrangements have been ensured by the collectors in these shelters.
“The collectors have been instructed to keep satellite phones in order to receive necessary instructions while the Director, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service has been instructed to supply 100 metric tonnes of cattle feed each to Jajpur and Bhadrak districts,” Sethi informed.
He further said the Jajpur district administration till Friday had evacuated 3040 flood-hit people in Binjharpur Block and set up 26 free kitchens in Binjharpur Block, nine free kitchens in Dasarathpur Block and two free kitchens in two wards of Jajpur Municipality and provided cooked food the people.
Stating that 10 Gram Panchayats of Bhandaripokhari Block in Bhadrak district have been affected by flood, the SRC said free kitchen has been opened in Rampur and Sarana village of Malada Gram Panchayat of Bhandaripokhari Block while 5000 water pouches have been supplied to these two villages.
Revenue and Disaster Management minister Maheswar Mohanty, in a press briefing on Friday had asked the collectors of Bhadrak, Keonjhar, Jajpur and Kendrapara districts to stay on high alert and directed them to cancel the leave of the government employees of the 14 blocks of these four districts due to flood threat.
