Odisha Flood: Over 200 Villages Remain Under Water In Balasore & Bhadrak Dists

Bhubaneswar: Even as the water level of Subarnarekha river in Odisha’s Balasore district and Baitarani in Bhadrak has come down, more than 200 villages in the two districts continue to remain under water.

According to sources in Water Resources department, 151 villages under Basta, Baliapal, Bhograi, Jaleswar, Balasroe Sadar and Remuna blocks in Balasore and Bhandaripokhari and Dhamnagar blocks in Bhadrak have been affected by flood.

The water level of Subarnarekha had crossed peak flood and was flowing at 11.3 metre at Rajghat against the danger mark of 10.36 on Monday evening. Its present water level has come down but no dropped below the danger mark. The flood condition in the affected areas will continue for 2-3 days due to rise in water level in branch rivers and nullahs, the department sources said.

While a minor boy and a woman have died in the flood in the district so far, 40,124 people have been shifted from marooned areas to safe shelters, schools and government offices.

While total 80 safe shelters have been opened in 4 blocks, 307 relief camps have been set up to supply cooked and dry food to the affected people. Under direct supervision of the district collector, a senior government officer has been assigned the responsibility of rescue and relief operations in each block.

A team of 11 doctors has been formed to look after the healthcare needs of the people and 80 teams are carrying out the task of clearing the roads obstructed by uprooted trees and electricity poles. Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central) Suresh Dalai visited the flood-affected areas and took stock of relief operations on Tuesday.

In Bhadrak district, 30 villages under 7 panchayats of Bhandaripokhari block and 40 villages in Dhamnagar block remained waterlogged on Tuesday also. Hasanabad, Arjunpur and Padhani panchayats under Dhamnagar are the worst affected. More than 6,000 hectare of cultivated land have been submerged under floodwater.