Bhubaneswar: Amid incessant heavy rain, the flood situation turned grim in northern Odisha, especially Balasore and Mayurbhanj, where thousands of people were affected and many villages cut off from the outside world.
Subarnarekha river crossed the danger mark at Rajghat in Balasore district, where the water level touched 10.83, well above the danger level Tuesday morning.
As per information, floodwaters submerged parts of Bhograi block in Balasore, affecting over 30 villages across 15 panchayats. Inundation has led to the disruption of daily life, marooning several households and damaging roads and crops.
Similarly, Jalaka river in the Basta block was flowing just below the danger level. At Mathani, the water level stood at 6.50 metres against the danger mark of 6.59 metres. Ten villages in the area are reported to be partially submerged.
Following incessant rains and rising river water levels, over 2,900 people have been evacuated as floodwaters submerged thousands of acres of farmland.
Officials said 46 panchayats have been impacted — including 14 in Basta block, 10 in Jaleswar, 2 in Baliapal, 13 in Bhograi, and one each in Remuna and Soro.
Jaleswar’s urban area, comprising 7 municipal wards, also reported waterlogging. Balasore is witnessing massive crop damage, with floodwaters continuing to flow through large tracts of agricultural land.
Central RDC B. Parameswaran visited the Jaleswar Municipality Office on Monday to assess the flood response measures. He later visited the banks of the Subarnarekha River and the Nandika area to examine drainage issues and flood conditions.
In Mayurbhanj, heavy downpour caused widespread flooding. Rivers like Budhabalanga, Deo, Gangahar, and Sona are swelling, leading to inundation of over 100 villages across blocks like Morada, Shuliapada, Saraskana, Bangiriposi, Betanati, Barasahi, Gopabandhunagar, Karanjia, Jashipur, and Kusumi.
Sources said over 300 kutcha houses have been damaged. In many areas, floodwaters entered homes, and locals have been unable to cook for the past two days. Drainage congestion caused by flooding in Jarali and Sarali rivers led to severe waterlogging in various wards of Baripada town.
A report from Sundargarh district said that incessant rain wreaked havoc in Koida, disrupting life in several areas. Around two feet of rainwater was seen flowing over the Soyamba bridge under the jurisdiction of Koida police station. As a result, all communication between Soyamba panchayat and Relhatu panchayat has been completely cut off. With a strong current flowing over the bridge, the administration has prohibited public movement across it.
Similarly, heavy rain in the upper catchment have caused the Brahmani River to swell rapidly, posing a growing threat to villages situated along its banks if the downpour continues.
