Flood threat looms large in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Incessant rains have triggered a flood threat in four districts of Odisha, forcing the government to take preventive measures on war footing, officials said on Wednesday. As many as 2.4 lakh people were affected and thousands of acres of agricultural land inundated due to floods in the five districts comprising Keonjhar, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Balasore and Bhadrak. A breach in the river embankment of Subarnarekha at Dahamunda village in Balasore district caused flood in some villages, Jena said, adding, another breach in the embankment of Baitarani river near Ganeswarpur in Jajpur district had also inundated some areas.

Bhubaneswar: The State government has asked the collectors of Keonjhar, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Baleswar and Mayurbhanj districts to remain on high alert on flood-like situation in north Odisha.

Several teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) have been deployed in Balasore and Jajpur districts for rescue and relief operations, Secretary of Water Resources Department P. K. Jena told presspersons after the meeting. The road communication between Ghatagaon and Keonjhar has been cut-off after the Katrabeda bypass road on NH-215 was washed away.

“The flood situation in Subarnarekha is grim while the water levels have been falling in rivers Baitarani and Budhabalang as there was no major rainfall last night”, he said.

Asked about the breaches on river embankments, Sarma said two breaches occurred on the Baitarani – one in Jajpur district and the other in Bhadrak district.

In Mayurbhanj district, the floodwaters of Budhabalanga entered the low-lying areas of Baripada town this afternoon. “The district administration is ready to tackle flood situation”, said collector Rajesh Prabhakar Patil. The water resources secretary said Rengali dam will release the season’s first floodwater on Wednesday.