Bhubaneswar: Flood situation in North Odisha is grim, said Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari. Due to heavy rain, flood situation has arisen in 10 districts. As many as 1071 villages in 80 blocks and 325 gram panchayats in 10 districts have been affected. Similarly, 49 wards in 10 urban areas have been affected.
Around 40,329 people have been evacuated. 721 houses have been damaged. 395 relief centres have been opened in 10 districts. Over 73,085 people have been affected. Flood situation will create problems in some areas of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapara as flood water coming from Jharkhand has become a danger.
Meanwhile, there is no flood risk in the Mahanadi basin. The situation will return to normal after 48 hours, the minister informed.
Due to heavy rain, residents of riverside villages in 5 panchayats are terrified due to flood in the Sone river in the Nilagiri area of Balasore district. There is 10 feet of water on the road to Badia village, cutting it off from the outside world. Due to low-pressure induced rain, the water level of Hirakud is rising.
Flood water is currently being discharged through 16 gates of Hirakud reservoir, 11 gates on the left side and 5 on the right side. Meanwhile, there is a flood threat in the Baitarani river. The river is flowing above the danger mark at Keonjhar’s Patna. While the danger mark is 311.10 meters, water is flowing at 311.27 meters as of 5 am today. Flood water is flowing about 5 feet high on the Kapundi-Paida canal, cutting off communication from Patna headquarters to 5 panchayats of Saharpada block.
Due to heavy rain in the upper reaches, water level of Baitarani at Akhuapada in Jajpur district is also flowing above the danger mark. While the danger mark at Akhuapada is 18.33 meters, water is flowing over 1 meter above it. Administration is keeping a close watch and patrolling embankments.
In Mayurbhanj district, Jalaka river has flooded for the sixth time due to heavy rain in Suliapada, Morada, Chitrada and Rasgovindpur blocks. Seven panchayats of Basta block have been affected and thousands of hectares of farmland inundated.
