BHUBANESWAR : Despite the rains subsiding, the flood situation in Odisha continued to remain grim with over 12.87 lakh people across seven districts affected, while fresh areas of Balasore district were submerged by the floodwaters of Subarnarekha river.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil told mediapersons on Thursday that Subarnarekha river witnessed peak flooding at 3 am on the day, which caused fresh inundation of 28 gram panchayats in Bhograi block and 20 gram panchayats in Baliapal block of Balasore district.
Floodwater inundated the state highway-57 connecting Jaleswar and Chandaneswar in Balasore district, bringing vehicular movement to a complete halt. The river was flowing above danger level at 11.6 metre at Rajghat in Balasore district. As villages and paddy fields were submerged, additional relief and rescue teams were rushed to affected areas, Patil said.
“Water-level in Subarnarekha river rose due to discharge from Galudih barrage in neighbouring Jharkhand. It is likely to decrease by Friday. Budhabalanga and Jalaka rivers are also showing a rising trend but they too will come down,” the SRC said.
According to the situation report released by the SRC office, flood has affected more than 2.65 lakh people in 524 villages of 12 blocks of Balasore district. Over 79,842 people were evacuated to safer places or flood shelters.
Meanwhile, even as the situation has started improving in Jajpur and Bhadrak districts, several villages in both were still marooned with people living in river embankments. Out of the over 4.29 lakh people affected in Jajpur district, over 1.31 lakh have been evacuated. Situation in Bhadrak also remained grim with more than 1.96 lakh people living in flood shelters or other safer places.
Flood has affected over 2.4 lakh people in Kendrapara district while situation in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts has improved.