Odisha on alert as Subarnarekha swells, third flood hits Balasore
Odisha warns of fresh flooding in Balasore as the Subarnarekha River, swollen by Jharkhand rains, crosses danger levels.
The Odisha government issued a fresh flood warning for Balasore district on Wednesday as the Subarnarekha River, swollen by heavy rainfall in neighbouring Jharkhand, continued to rise. Water is being released through 13 gates of the Gauludih barrage, and the river is flowing well above the danger mark.
At Rajghat in Jaleswar, the water level was recorded at 11.63 metres against a danger level of 10.36 metres. The Water Resources Department has projected that the level could climb further to 11.80 metres by Wednesday night.
The rising waters have already inundated 65 villages in the Bhogarai block, 60 villages in Baliapala, and 12 villages in the Jaleswar block. Officials described this as the third flood to hit the district in the current season.
District Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas said field-level officials and panchayati raj institution representatives have been directed to distribute dry food to affected families. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari noted that 25 panchayats in the district are severely affected, with cooked meals being provided to those marooned by the floodwater. He expressed hope that the situation would ease within a day or two.
Meanwhile, hundreds of villages in Jajpur and Bhadrak districts remain submerged for over a month due to successive floods in the Baitarani river system, prolonging the distress in the region.