BALASORE: With the incessant rain lashing the catchment areas of Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga rivers, flood alert has been sounded in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts. Officials have been asked not to leave their respective headquarters.
Though the water level in the rivers passing through the districts was below the danger mark on Sunday evening, the riverside residents have panicked as the catchment areas of the rivers have been experiencing heavy rainfall.
Sources said at least four villages have been surrounded by rainwater as the embankment of a minor irrigation project (MIP) in Hensda panchayat under Jamda block in Mayurbhanj district was washed away. Paddy crop in more than 500 acres has been submerged by rainwater.
More than 150 panchayats in Bhogarai, Jaleswar, Basta, Baliapal, Remuna, Sadar, Bahanaga, Soro and Simulia blocks of Balasore district and Badasahi, Baripada, Rasgobindpur blocks of Mayurbhanj district are flood prone.
The water level in Subarnarekha was 5.86 metre and Budhabalanga was flowing at 2.36 metre mark while it was 4.60 metre in Jalaka. If the water level of Jalaka will cross 6.50 metre mark, around 40 villages under 10 panchayats in Basta block will be flooded.
Officials said Subarnarekha’s catchment areas in Jharkhand have been experiencing heavy rainfall for the last two days. Similarly, incessant rain has been lashing Similipal biosphere, Jamda, Kusumi, Bisoi, Jashipur and northern part of Mayurbhanj district which is expected to raise the water level of Budhabalanga.
The local met office has predicted more rain during next 72 hours due to the low pressure in the Bay of Bengal that had activated the monsoon. Officials too apprehend a flash flood in the region if the rain continues for a couple of days more.
“If Similipal receives 300 mm rainfall in next three days, there will definitely be a flash flood in Budhabalanga like previous year. Similarly, the flood in Subarnarekha depends on the rainfall in Ghatsila and Fekghat which have been experiencing heavy rain,” said an emergency official.
Meanwhile, following the instruction of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), the Collectors have asked the block and tehsil officials to remain alert for any exigency. “They have been asked not to leave their headquarters and keep a close watch on river embankments. Officials have also been alerted to keep relief materials and rescue boats ready,” said Mayurbhanj ADM SC Mallick.
The region has been experiencing a series of flash floods every year since 2006 barring 2010 and 2012. In October last year, properties worth over `700 crore were destroyed in both the districts in the Phailin induced flash floods.