Over 50,000 have been impacted after a flash flood in the Subarnarekha River flooded villages in Odisha's Balasore district on Saturday after heavy rain in neighbouring Jharkhand, officials informed.
Seventeen gram panchayat blocks in the blocks of Bhograi, Baliapal, Basta, and part of Jaleswar Notified Area Council were hit, with authorities deploying relief and rescue operations.
People living in low-lying and flood areas have been told to stay alert and prepared to shift to the nearby cyclone shelters if water levels increase further, a district senior official said.
Balasore District Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas directed the block development officers (BDOs) and tehsildars to stay alert and prepared to be ready for evacuations. BDOs were also directed to ensure dry food is being given to the affected.
The district's chief medical officer was instructed to arrange for adequate stockpiling of priority medicines and ensure that health services were available.
The superintending engineer (irrigation) was requested to inspect all the gates of the Chandil Dam and check water levels twenty-four hours a day, while taking every precaution.
The civil supplies officer assured food and essentials availability. Leave for all government personnel was suspended till further orders, and officials were warned not to venture out of headquarters without permission.
The water level of the Subarnarekha River at Rajghat, according to the District Emergency Office, was receding but still at 11.9 metres—far above the danger mark of 10.36 metres.
We anticipate the level of water to further decline since there has been sparse precipitation in Jharkhand's upper catchments," a government official said, further noting that at present, there was no possibility of a medium or a major flood in the Subarnarekha system.".
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