Threat of flood looms large over villages located close to rivers Devi and Bhargavi as their banks have eroded and large chunks of earth fell from the two embankments recently.
The situation was grim in Bauriakana right side of the embankment threatening hundreds of villagers of Astaranga and Kakatpur blocks.
The first flow of flood water caused the landslide from the embankment. Villagers of Sathiebati, Asan, Nuagarh, Kaliakan, Balidia, Kantapada and Lataharan are in a panic and are spending sleepless nights as water level has gone up.
Similarly, the villagers living beside river Bhargavi have been demanding reinforcement of the embankment as a stretch of over 200 metres from the embankment near Ghantakula of Saraswatipur gram Panchayat under the Balanga area caved in because of rise in water level.
They apprehend that if the repair work is not carried out urgently, the swelling river may breach the embankment triggering flood.
Though the officials concerned tried to strengthen the weak points by providing additional support, the villagers said it was not enough to prevent the impeding flood.
They also alleged that the work done by the officials was of poor standard as most of the funds were siphoned by them.
In 2008, following a breach in the Bhargavi at Phoolapala, the road link between Bhubaneswar and Puri was snapped for several months and over 35 villages were affected by the flood. Similarly, in 2001 a breach in right embankment of the river at Khairikund near Balanga flooded villages and damaged the crop.