JAJPUR: Following incessant rainfall triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal and heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas for the last couple of days, the Baitarani river is in spate with water level crossing the danger mark near Akhuapada in Jajpur district on Wednesday, officials said.
The water level in the river is flowing at 17.95 metre as against the danger mark of 18 metres near Akhuapada this evening, they said. As rain continues in the upper catchment area, it is expected that the water flow in the Baitarani river will rise further. Baitarani’s branch Budha river is also flowing much above the danger mark resulting in floods in some low-lying villages of two blocks in Jajpur district.
The Baitarani River flowing above the danger mark has triggered flood apprehensions in many panchayats of Dasarathapur, Jajpur, Binjharpur and Korei blocks in the district. Meanwhile, the Jajpur district administration is keeping a strict vigil on the possibility of flash floods.
Jajpur collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore said the district administration has taken adequate precautionary measures and kept all its field-level functionaries at strategic locations prone to flood to meet any eventuality. The collector has also directed officials to evacuate people from low-lying areas if required and shift them to nearby safe shelters.