Odisha: Subarnarekha, Baitarani rivers flowing above danger level, 160 villages inundated

Bhubaneswar, Aug 25 (PTI) With the Subarnarekha and Baitarani rivers flowing above danger level, over 160 villages have been inundated and thousands of people affected in the North Odisha districts of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur, officials said on Monday.

While the water of the Subarnarekha river inundated 114 villages under three blocks of Baliapal, Bhograi and Jeleswar in Balasore district, the water of river Baitarani affected the people of Bhadrak and Jajpur districts.

Reports of human habitation being inundated by floodwater were also reported from Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts.

"Jajpur has been worst hit this time due to a breach on the embankment of river Kani, a tributary of the Baitarani river," Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari told reporters.

He said the district administrations have already started rescue and relief operation.

The minister, however, said that the situation is likely to improve on Tuesday as the water level in major rivers in north Odisha remained static. "We hope that the water level will decline in the next 12 hours, and the peak flood is still passing through rivers Subarnarekha and Baitarani," he said.

"We have started evacuation operations and arranged food and shelter for the affected people. Medical teams, including doctors, are deployed, and special arrangements have been made for children and the elderly," said Jajpur Collector Ambar Kumar Kar.

Shelter homes have been set up with all basic amenities, he said, adding that no casualties have been reported so far.

ODRAF personnel on Monday rescued a 23-day-old baby girl at Ahiyas village under Kaspa panchayat of Jajpur district. "We have rescued the baby and her family members who were encircled by flood water," said Parsuram Jena, an ODRAF jawan.

A report from Balasore said that Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) Central Division, Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar visited the flood-hit Madhupura and Chaudhurikud areas of Baliapal block and reviewed the situation. She interacted with local residents and panchayat members and inspected the situation at the ground level.

"Twenty-six gram panchayats of Baliapal, Bhograi and Jalaswar have been affected by the flood, 114 villages are under water. Free kitchens have been set up at 13 places," an official at the Emergency office in Balasore said, adding that 22 government boats have been deployed to ferry people from the affected areas.

In neighbouring Bhadrak district, the overflowing Baitarani river has flooded Dhamnagar and Bhandaripohgari blocks. The river was also flowing above the danger mark in Akhuapada.

A number of villages were inundated in Jajpur's Dasarathpur block due to a breach in an embankment of the Kani river.

Parts of the Sundergarh district have also been inundated by the Baitrani river.

"The water level of another river, Brahmani, is also rising," Water Resources Department's Engineer-in-Chief Chandrasekhar Padhi said.

He said the Subarnarekha was flowing above the danger mark in Balasore's Rajghat at 8 pm.

Padhi said there was a 30-metre breach in the embankment of Kani, a tributary of Baitarani, near Ahiyaas Bazar in Kaspa in Jajpur.

A number of villages in the Dasarathpur block have been flooded due to the breach, he said.

"Our men and material are ready to repair the breach as soon as the water level declines," he added.

Schools and anganwadi centres in parts of Bhadrak have been shut for two days in view of the inclement weather.

A report from Jajpur district said that incessant rains in the upper catchment area of the Baitarani river has triggered floods. The Kani embankment breach has marooned over 40 villages of 14 panchayats under the Dasarathapur block.

Sharing details on the situation, a senior official in the Water Resources department said that the Baitarani river was flowing above the danger mark at Akhuapada. "Baitarani river's water level reached 18.86 meters on Monday evening, significantly above the danger mark of 18.33 meters at Akhuapada," said Jajpur district Emergency officer Ashok Kumar Behera. PTI COR AAM SOM AAM RG