BALASORE: Torrential rain since Sunday has wreaked havoc in Balasore district inundating vast areas and triggering flash flood. While river Kansabansa was flowing above the danger mark, water level in Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha rivers was below the warning level.
Official sources said at least 50,000 people in over 30 villages of four blocks - Basta, Soro, Khaira and Simulia - have been affected by the flood. Vehicular movement in these areas has been disrupted as the connecting roads were breached at several places.
Low-lying areas of Balasore town have been flooded forcing people to take shelter on the highland. Incessant rain has triggered flash flood in Jalaka, Sono and Kansabansa rivers. Simulia BDO Dharam Hansdah and Tehsildar Rajendra Panda visited the affected areas on Tuesday.
Water level of Kansabansa was marked at 7.86 metre against the danger level of 7.5 metre, while Jalaka was flowing at 5.33 metre. Though Subarnarekha was rising, it is yet to cross the warning level. The river was flowing at 8.34 metre and was swelling at the rate of 0.20 metre per hour. Similarly, water level of Budhabalanga was 6.14 metre.
More than 200 people in Bauripada village under Simulia block have been evacuated and provided shelter in Ranirautrani Nodal School. Other villages which have been marooned by flood water of Kansabansa are Harisinghpur, Kabirpur, Ankula, Bankapatana, Narasinghpur, Bariha, Kanheibindha, Bhubanpur and Kurkuria.
Several embankments have been breached, inundating riverside villages and submerging thousands of acres of agricultural land. Road communication to Baliapal block was disrupted as flood water of Jalaka was flowing over the road near Pejagala slope. Similarly, vehicular movement on Kupari-Agarpada route was stopped as people cut the road to drain out flood water.
On Tuesday, Balasore district received 213 mm rainfall with an average of 17.78 mm. However, Budhabalanga’s catchment areas have recorded 52 mm rainfall and Subarnarekha 20 mm.
Emergency Officer P Padmanav Dora said the situation was under control. “While Jalaka is receding, there is no fear of flood in Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha as their catchment areas received less rainfall on Tuesday,” he added.