With Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga rivers remaining in spate, people in northern parts of Balasore district are scared of another flash flood on Saturday.
Though the gates of Kala dam have been closed, water released from Sono dam is likely to increase the water level in Budhabalanga which was flowing above the warning level on Friday.
While Subarnarekha is rising constantly, the water level in Jalaka river has remained above the danger mark for two consecutive days. It was flowing at 6.24 metre against the red mark of 5.5 metre.
The district received an average of 50 mm rainfall in last 24 hours leading to water logging in low-lying areas of the town. The residents living in slum areas and close to Budhabalanga had a tough time as the rainwater entered their houses.The condition of flood-hit areas of Baripada and parts of Badasahi in Mayurbhanj district is no better. Reports indicated that the floodwater had entered Madhuban area and a few villages in Badasahi block forcing the residents to take shelter in safer places.
Following allegations of failure on the part of the district administrations of Balasore and Mayurbhanj in tackling the flood situation, the State Government sent RDC (Central) Arvind Padhee to Balasore and RDC (Sambalpur) PK Meherda to Mayurbhanj to oversee relief operations.
Padhee said their attention was on Budhabalanga which was being supplemented by Sono and Gangahar rivers. “ODRAF and NDRF teams have been kept ready for any eventualities,” he said adding that the relief operations were disrupted due to heavy rain.
“Though severely affected people have been provided polythene sheets, there are demands from the affected areas. We have sought more polythene sheets which are expected to reach here soon,” Padhee said.
Sources said vehicular communication to Baliapal has been paralysed as the floodwater is flowing three feet above the Gandhi Chhak-Baliapal road near Darada and Pejagala slopes. Similarly, Baisinga-Udala PWD road has been flooded disrupting communication to Manitri, from Udala to Badasahi and Badasahi to Baisinga and Betanoti.