BALASORE: Amid the ongoing efforts to provide relief to residents of low-lying areas affected by the floods in Subarnarekha river, the body of a 25-year-old man reportedly swept away by floodwaters in Baliapal block was recovered on Sunday morning.
The deceased youth was identified as Maheswar Pila of Ikidpal village. Sources said Maheswar along with four others had gone to Jamkunda on Saturday afternoon. While crossing a submerged bridge over Subarnarekha river, he was swept away by the strong currents.
Locals launched a search but could not trace him. On being informed, the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) reached the spot on Sunday and recovered Maheswar’s body from near a bamboo fence, around 1 km from his village. Baliapal police registered an unnatural death (UD) case in this connection and seized the body for postmortem.
Meanwhile, low-lying areas in Bhograi, Baliapal, Basta, and Jaleswar blocks continued to remain waterlogged due to the floods caused by the overflowing Subarnarekha after release of water from eight gates of Galudihi barrage in neighbouring Jharkhand. Crops, including paddy and vegetables, over around 200 hectare have been damaged due to the floods.
According to the district emergency office, around 25,000 people across 67 villages in 19 gram panchayats of the four blocks have been affected.
On the day, Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, accompanied by district officials, visited the flood-affected areas and directed immediate distribution of relief materials. To address communication challenges in villages like Bishnupur, Kulhachada, Ikidpal, Talapada, and Bada Talapada in Baliapal block, boats and jetties were deployed. Residents were ferried to Jamkunda Lock and then to Baliapal and other towns for essential needs.
Balasore collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikash said necessary measures have been put in place to address the needs of people in all the affected areas. “To mitigate the risk of waterborne diseases, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS) department is supplying clean drinking water in all the four blocks,” he said.
Bottled water is also being distributed in gram panchayats such as Asti, Jamkunda, Bishnupur, and Madhupur in Baliapal block, as well as Aruhabruti, Kumbhiragadi, Khardipipal, Gabagaon, and Kusuda in Bhograi.
Extra water tankers have been deployed while the RWSS has assured that there will be no disruption in water supply through pipelines. Additionally, free cooked meals and dry food packets are being distributed to flood-affected people.
Sources said the water level in Subarnarekha has started receding. On the day, the river was flowing at 9.96 meter against the danger mark of 10.36 meter.