The flood situation in northern districts of Odisha worsened on Monday after swollen rivers inundated low-lying areas, PTI reported citing officials. Close to 10 lakh residents have been hit due to the floods.
Subarnarekha, Budhabalang, Jalaka and Baitarani rivers are overflowing because of heavy rainfall caused by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal and floodwater released from Jharkhand, officials said.
Nearly 251 villages in the northern districts of Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Bhadrak are impacted by floods.
In the Jajpur district, Dasarathpur and Korei blocks have been inundated with overflowing water from the Baitarani river. In the Keonjhar district, towns of Hatadihi, Ghasipura and Anandapur are flooded.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the highest rainfall of 105 millimetres was recorded in the Banki-Dampada block of the Cuttack district.
“Between June 1, 2022, and August 22, 2022, the state has recorded 941.9 mm of rainfall, which is 14% more than the normal rainfall of 822.9 mm during this period,” the weather agency said on Tuesday. “While the cyclone is active over northwest Madhya Pradesh flanking East Rajasthan today, it is likely to maintain its westward track and weaken into a well-defined low-pressure area during the next 12 hours.”
Balasore is worst affected district
On Sunday, authorities in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts evacuated the residents to a safer location, PTI reported.
Odisha’s Water Resources Minister Tukuki Sahu said that the water level in the Subarnarekha river is gradually dipping but still flowing above the danger mark.
“Nearly 156 villages in 83 gram panchayats of Balasore district have been hit by the flood,” said District Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde. “The administration has evacuated 40,000 people by Monday noon. They have put up in 227 temporary shelters.”
A seven-day relief package has been announced by the state government for residents stranded in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Keonjhar and Jajpur districts, the chief minister’s office said.
On Sunday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik appointed Balasore district collector as the special relief commissioner to handle the flood situation. A helicopter has been made available for emergencies.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department has predicted more rainfall for Balasore on Tuesday and Wednesday, PTI reported.
“We will take appropriate action keeping in view the IMD’s forecast,” said BJ Mishra, chief engineer of the water resources department.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!