BALASORE: Even as Subarnarekha and Jalaka started receding on Wednesday, flash flood in both the rivers has affected at least 38 villages in three northern blocks of Balasore district.
While vehicular communication to Baliapal was disrupted for nearly two days as the flood water was flowing four feet above the State Highway near Pegarpada, several villages remained cut off as the connecting roads were submerged.
Water level in Subarnarekha was at 11 metre mark against the danger mark of 10.36 metre at Rajghat and it was at 6.08 metre mark against the red mark of 5.5 metres at Mathani.
While the flood water is flowing on Basta-Baliapal road near Kudia disrupting vehicular communication to different parts of Baliapal, at least 10 villages including Pegarpada, Dhalasahi and Laxmanpada in Basta block are encircled by water.
According to preliminary reports, 27 villages in Baliapal block, seven in Basta block and four in Bhogarai block have been affected and crops in over 10,000 hectares submerged. Though damage assessment is underway, more than 10 houses have collapsed in Basta block. Apparently, landslides have reported near river embankments which had developed cracks during last flood.
Government Chief Whip, Ananta Das and a team of district officials led by Collector Pramod Kumar Das visited several riverside villages in Bhogarai and Baliapal blocks to oversee the flood preparedness and damage caused by Subarnarekha.
The Collector said floodwater in the river is receding as six of the 11 gates of Galudih barrage in Jharkhand were closed and the catchment areas of Subarnarekha in the neighbouring State received no rainfall in last 24 hours.
While rice, dry food and kerosene are stocked in inaccessible pockets in the district to meet any exigency, panchayatiraj institution members and revenue officials have been asked to remain alert. Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea for fishing. “We have inspected river embankments and directed irrigation officials to stay alert. Though the situation is not alarming, we have kept stationed one NDRF team at Bhogarai, two ODRAF teams at Baliapal and Basta,” he informed.