BALASORE: Panic has gripped people residing in low-lying areas of Baliapal, Basta, Bhograi, Jaleswar and Sadar blocks in Balasore as the Subarnarekha river is swelling due to the release of floodwater from 14 gates of Galudih barrage in Jharkhand.
On Sunday, ODRAF, NDRF and fire service personnel asked residents of low-lying areas to shift to safer places as there was the possibility of flood in Subarnarekha. Sources said at least 34 villages of 19-gram panchayats in the five blocks will be affected.
The water level of Subarnarekha stood at 10.17 metres against the danger mark of 10.36 metres at Rajghat in the Jaleswar block. The river was flowing at 53.46 metres against the danger mark of 49.16 metres at Jamsola ghat.
Meanwhile, incessant rain over the last one week has led to another flood in Jalaka river at Mathani in Basta block. Excess rainwater from Rasgobindpur, Chitrada, Morada, Suliapada and Amarda in Mayurbhanj district was released into the Jalaka river. The water level of Jalaka was 6.76 metres against the danger mark of 5.50 metres at Mathani.
The water level in the Budhabalanga river too has started rising. The river is now flowing at 7.36 metres against the danger mark of 8.13 metres at Madhuban in the Mayurbhanj district. The river has inundated low-lying areas like Phuladi, Chandamanipadia, Kantabania and Pasimila.
On the day, communication between Baliapal and Basta was affected as a 2.5 km stretch of the road was submerged in rainwater. With direct connectivity hit, residents of Baliapal were forced to travel to Basta through Bhograi and Jaleswar.
Amid the possibility of floods in the Subarnarekha river, Collector Dattatreya Bhausaheb Shinde chaired a meeting with officials of different departments to take stock of the situation and prepare for relief and rescue operations. Shinde said apart from 12 fire service teams, a dozen more squads along with four NDRF and ODRAF teams are ready for relief and rescue operations in the district.
The Collector directed BDOs and tehsildars of the vulnerable blocks to open flood shelters and make arrangements in school buildings to accommodate people. Officials have been asked to tour the villages along with medical teams and RWSS engineers.