PANIC has gripped residents of low-lying areas under Badasahi block in Mayurbhanj district following the rise in the water level of the Budhabalanga river above the danger mark on Wednesday. While the danger level of the river is 7.21 metres, it is currently at 7.58 metres. Sources said incessant rains over the last two days led to the situation.
The condition is grim for residents of around eight wards of Baripada municipality besides those in Badasahi block. Locals said three flood shelters have been set up at Rangapani, Baguli and Salagaon villages but those aren’t sufficient.
Jagdish Rath of Tental village, Anjan Singh of Sarbeswarpur village and Prafulla Mohanta of Bidyadharpur village said residents of more than four-gram panchayats had been demanding stone-packed embankment on both sides of the river besides the establishment of flood shelters but the government turned a blind eye to their demands.
The district administration has meanwhile distributed relief to residents affected by the Deo irrigation project. District emergency officer Sujay Kumar Pati said people of low-lying areas have been asked not to panic as the water level in Budhabalanga river is expected to reduce by Thursday night. “However, the district administration is ready to tackle any adverse situation if it arises,” he added.
In Kendrapara, incessant rain coupled with the rising levels of water in Mahanadi river has increased the flood threat for riverside villages of Marsaghai, Mahakalapada and Garadapur blocks. Sources said Bangalapur, Jalapoka, Aitipur, Baspur and Eandalo gram panchayats located between Luna and Karandia tributaries of Mahandi river are more susceptible to flood.
“All government officials of the district have been directed not to leave their respective headquarters without informing. We have also arranged power boats to face emergency situations,” said sub-collector Niranjan Behera.
Similarly, the situation in Angul is also worrisome as in Tikarpara area, 10 ft water is flowing on roads due to a flood in the Mahanadi river. Gaindi, Majhipada and Behera Sahi villages are the worst affected. The block authorities have evacuated around 275 people to a nearby school and cooked rice was provided to them on Thursday. Similarly, around 235 people of Kudagaon village in Athamallick are being evacuated by the SDRF.
In Jajpur, around seven panchayats under Korei and Dasarathpur blocks have been cut off due to a flood in Baitarani river. However, the water level of the river at Akhuapada is receding. At around 8 pm on Thursday, the water level reported at Akhuapada was 18.65 metres as against the danger level of 17.83 metres.
Meanwhile, the water level of Brahmani river is above the danger mark which might affect Dharmasala, Rasulpur and Bari blocks. At Jenapur, Brahmani is flowing at 68 feet as against its danger mark of 67 ft.
Jajpur collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore has ordered to keep all schools, colleges and anganwadi centres of Jajpur (except municipality), Dasarathpur, Binjharpur, Bari and Badachana blocks closed on Friday in view of the situation.
In Nimapara, the first flood water of Kusabhadra river reached the area on Thursday evening. Superintending engineer B Dalai said while the danger level is at 10.82 metres, the river is already flowing at 10.25 metres. Similarly, while the danger level of Bhargavi river is at 10.42 metres, it is currently flowing at 10.54 metres in Balanga.
Baripada, Kendrapara, Angul, Jajpur and Nimapara