BHUBANESWAR: With rains abating over the past 24 hours and major rivers showing a receding trend, the flood situation in the northern districts of the state improved on Monday. However, several low-lying pockets of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts continued to remain submerged under floodwater.
Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari told mediapersons that water-level in Subarnarekha and Baitarani rivers have decreased, but it will take time for floodwater to completely recede from the low-lying areas.
“The government is constantly monitoring the situation. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is likely to visit the flood-affected areas on Tuesday, if weather permits,” Pujari said.
He said over 11,000 people in six districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Sundargarh and Keonjhar have been affected by the floods. The district administrations have already started assessing the damage. Assistance will be provided to the people within 24 hours of receiving the reports, he added.
The minister said relief camps opened in the affected districts, particularly in Balasore and Mayurbhanj, where over 1,000 people were shifted to are still functional. The government will provide cooked food as long as people are in the relief centres.
Official sources said Subarnarekha river was flowing above the danger level of 10.36 metre at Rajghat till 6 am in the morning flooding low-lying areas of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts.
However, water-level has started falling in the river now and was flowing at 9.15 mtr at Rajghat when last reports came in. It is expected to fall further.
At Jamsholaghat in Mayurbhanj district, Subarnarekha was flowing at 46.98 mtr against the danger mark of 49.15 mtr. Baitarani river has also started receding. The water-level was below the danger mark at 34.78 mtr and 17.14 mtr at Anandpur and Akhuapada respectively.
Senior officials from the office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) along with district administration are monitoring the situation in the affected areas.