Balasore: Panic gripped some areas of the flood-struck Balasore district in Odisha after a huge crocodile was spotted in the floodwater of the swollen Jalaka river, which has inundated several villages.
According to reports, the huge crocodile was seen swimming in the floodwater of Jalaka in Jaleswar area on Tuesday evening, triggering fear among the residents of nearby villages.
Though the reptile was yet to cause any harm to locals, local villagers are in a state of fear saying the animal could enter human settlements and harm them as vast areas are now inundated by the floodwaters of Jalaka.
Many people are still stranded in dangerous conditions due to submergence of vast areas and their lives are at risk because of the movement of the crocodile in floodwater, said locals.
Worries of the residents in the area were compounded when a video of the reptile floating in the floodwater went viral on social media.
Though the water level of Jalaka has come down considerably, the river was still flowing at 6.41 metre at Mathani against the danger mark of 5.5 metre
Sighting of crocodile in Balasore was reported close on the heels of similar incidents in Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur districts, where two huge reptiles were spotted in the floodwaters last week.
While a crocodile was sighted in the floodwater of Paika river in Kujang area of Jagatsinghpur, two big reptiles were spotted in Dasarathpur block of Jajpur district.
