The Subarnarekha river, till Monday morning, had gone above the danger mark, flooding low-lying areas in all the six districts of north and west Odisha, such as Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur. As per reports at 6 am on Monday, the Subarnarekha river at Rajghat had a level of 10.55 metres, compared to the danger mark of 10.36 metres. Additionally, floodwaters inundated many places under Baliapal, Bhograi, and Basta blocks, where villages and agricultural lands have been inundated.
Reports suggest that vast regions are still marooned, with crops standing destroyed over large acres of farmland. The flooding comes even as the river's water level has been slowly retreating since last night following the continued threat from upstream rainfall and dam releases.
The state government has, in turn, dispatched two more ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) teams and 13 fire services units to carry out evacuation and relief work. Dry food items and critical medicines have also been positioned at vulnerable blocks, reported further.
The floods have inundated some of the low-lying villages, and sources have established that at least 8 panchayats in Bhograi and 7 in Baliapal have been drastically hit.
Also read: Flood threat in 3 districts of Odisha; govt starts evacuation
Water from the Jharkhand's Galudhi Barrage and persistent rains due to a low-pressure system have triggered a sudden increase in the level of the Subarnarekha, giving rise to apprehension about a second spell of severe flooding.
The flood condition has also deteriorated in Bhadrak district, where the Baitarani river has begun over-flowing in sections of Chandbali and Dhamnagar blocks.
Several villages in these areas are now isolated because of waterlogging, and clean drinking water and medical facilities are also becoming hard to reach.
Meanwhile, Balasore District Collector inspected affected areas, namely, Kumabhiragadi, Kulha, Khalbadia, and Baunsakhana to see the ground situation. Officials conducted strategy meetings with block-level officials to explore response strategies and prepare for possible escalation.
Speaking to the media, officials stressed that while water levels may show temporary improvement, the situation remains volatile. Continued rainfall and further upstream discharge could worsen flooding in the coming hours.
Senior officials from the Special Relief Commissioner’s office are monitoring the situation round-the-clock. The Chief Minister’s Office has been briefed, and additional relief and rescue support is being kept on standby, said reports.
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