Water from overflowing rivers pushed into low-lying tracts in Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts of Odisha, rendering a flood-like situation, officials reported on Sunday. Subarnarekha, Baitarani and Jalka rivers were at or above the danger level, a senior government official said.
Addressing the media here, Chandra Sekhar Padhi, engineer-in-chief of the Water Resources Department, informed that Baitarani River was at 19.09 metres at 2 am on Sunday, above the danger level of 18.33 metres. The river water began decreasing trend early morning today and was at 18.54 metres. The swollen river led to a flood-like condition in certain pockets of Bhadrak and Jajpur districts, he added.
The floodwaters intruded into dwellings in Dhamnagar region in Bhadrak district as the Baitarani water level crossed the danger mark, he said.
Likewise, the Jalaka River's water level was 6.67 metres at Mathani, below the danger level of 6.50 metres. But the water has begun to register a receding trend, he added. Subarnarekha River stood at 10.2 metres against the danger level of 10.36 metres at Rajghat in Balasore district.
"We anticipate the water level to increase to 11.4 metres by Sunday evening. Bhogari, Baliapal, Basta, and Jaleswar blocks of Balasore district would come under flood waters as a result of the increase in water level," he added.
Padhi dismissed the threat of any large-scale flood condition in the state as the volume of rain in the state has declined. No single block has had more than 50 mm of rain on Saturday, he said.
Issuing a statement, the government stated that the district administrations have shifted people living in low-lying areas to safer places.
Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore collectors have been informed to speed up the evacuation and relief effort as and when necessary to deal with the local flood scenario, the statement added.
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One state flood cell in the Department of Water Resources is working 24x7 and the situation is under close watch. Two chief engineer rank officers have been deputed to the Subarnarekha and Baitarani river basins to keep an eye on the situation on the ground, it added.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj visited different locations of Baitarani embankment in Bhadrak district, while collector of Jajpur along with other senior officials visited the vulnerable spots at Nuapatna under Dasarathpur block.
A breach on the right bank of the embankment of Jambhira River at Bodhi in Rasgovindpur block of Mayurbhanj district was found. The breach was plugged with sandbags, the statement added.
Due to rain, land sliding in Sundargarh district on NH-520 caused the Koida-Chunaghati road to be blocked. After receiving a report of the landslide, the concerned department cleared the highway and the debris from the blocked road, officials said.
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