KEONJHAR/BALASORE/BARIPADA/BHADRAK : North and north-coastal Odisha was in the grip of a flash flood after incessant rainfall, triggered by a deep depression, left major parts of Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts inundated on Tuesday.
The national highway-49 had to be shut down for vehicular traffic in Keonjhar while swelling rivers breached banks, disrupting communication. At least 1,300 people had to be evacuated to safety in Balasore district while storm water submerged commercial complexes, residential areas and flooded vehicles stranded on the roads.
Keonjhar bore the brunt of the deluge, with the district receiving massive rainfall on the day. Telkoi recorded the highest rainfall at 176.8 mm, followed by Harichandanpur (142.4 mm) and Ghatgaon (139 mm). The situation in Telkoi remained particularly grim, with all 22 panchayats under the block reportedly cut off from the headquarters after rivers and canals swelled and roads were damaged. All schools and anganwadi centres had to be shut till Wednesday. People complained that the district administration did not issue adequate warning about the weather system which led them to be stranded in their houses surrounded by storm water.
District headquarters town Keonjhar witnessed widespread waterlogging, with knee-deep water reported in several areas including Madan Kar Gali, Sponge Colony, Jail Road, Parkline, Mandua, Baldevjeev Colony, Banerjee Colony and Kashipur. Uprooted trees also blocked roads at multiple places but were subsequently cleared.
The Baitarani barrage at Anandapur crossed the danger level of 38.360 metre, with the water level expected to rise further. Floodwater submerged roads at several places as Samakoi river swelled, touching the danger level.
The river was flowing around five feet above the road level by afternoon and expected to rise further. Floodwater brought traffic on NH-49, which connects Kolkata and Mumbai, to a standstill. As safety precaution, the highway was closed on the day, disrupting vehicular movement to various districts including western Odisha.
In Balasore, the flood threat remained high in low-lying areas, with the Jalaka river maintaining a water level of 6.57 metre against the warning level of 6 metre. The river has been receiving water from several areas of Mayurbhanj, including Rasgovindpur, Amarda, Gaon Amarda, as well as parts of Basta, Balasore Sadar, Remuna and Nilagiri.
Heavy rain triggered severe waterlogging in Balasore town, with water entering shops, residential areas and hotels. The rising Budhabalanga river also inundated low-lying settlements near Phuladi, Chidiya Polo, Balia chowk, Remuna and adjoining villages. Fire services personnel rescued four persons and a dog trapped at Telenga Sahi in Angara Gadia. Six persons stranded at a hotel near Chidiya Polo were also evacuated to safety.
With water overtopping roads leading to Nilagiri and surrounding villages, the local administration restricted visitors from travelling to the Panchalingeswar shrine. The district administration suspended classes in all schools in view of the heavy rainfall.
District emergency officer of Balasore Chinmay Kumar Rout said around 1,300 people were evacuated to 52 shelters, where hot cooked meals and safe drinking water were being provided. About 357 villages under 95 gram panchayats were affected, while around 300 houses were reportedly damaged by the heavy rains. Four ODRAF teams, one NDRF team and 12 fire teams were deployed for rescue and relief operations.
In neighbouring Mayurbhanj, residents of low-lying areas in Badasahi block remained apprehensive as the Budhabalanga river continued to rise, with floodwater flowing over roads in several areas.
ADM Iswar Chandra Naik said the water level of Budhabalanga at Poda Astia stood at 28 metre, against the warning level of 29 metre. He said 1,800 people in 32 villages across 26 gram panchayats under eight blocks were affected by the heavy rain. The district administration has opened 14 shelters and 12 free kitchens to provide cooked food to affected residents.
Bhadrak district faced a similar plight as it continued to receive incessant rainfall. Dhamnagar recorded the highest rainfall at 155 mm, severely affecting normal life in the area. The continuous downpour caused widespread waterlogging in Dhamnagar, Dobal, Dhusuri and Ashurali.
Till reports last came in, Baitarani river was flowing at 19.49 feet against the danger mark 18.33 feet at Akhuapada and Salandi at 18.20 feet at Rajghat. With the likelihood of flood in both Baitarani and Kochila rivers, the administration stepped up preparedness.
As a precautionary measure, all schools in Dhamnagar block have been closed for two days. The administration directed that no government official will be allowed leave for the next seven days.
An emergency review was held at Dhamnagar Panchayat Samiti conference hall under the chairmanship of Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and collector Dillip Routray to assess the flood situation and review preparedness.
Pregnant women, elderly persons and other vulnerable residents have been advised to move to safer and higher locations. Caution has been issued for residents of Sailo area under Padhani panchayat where the embankment of the Kochila river is considered vulnerable.
All schools in the block have been designated as temporary relief shelters. Officials urged the public not to panic and said the district administration was closely monitoring the situation.
BREACH ON ROAD HITS TRAFFIC ON NH-55
JAGATSINGHPUR: A breach on the newly-constructed bypass road near Kandarpur level crossing on NH-55 has disrupted movement of vehicular traffic to Jagatsinghpur for the past three days. While passenger buses, trucks and other heavy vehicles are staying off the road, commuters are forced to take longer alternative routes to reach their destinations. Local residents alleged that the contractor concerned failed to make adequate drainage arrangements to allow rainwater to flow from one side of the road to the other.
The resulting waterlogging led to the breach, disrupting traffic and inundating nearby agricultural fields. Farmers of Gatiroutpatana, Paramhansa, Ayatpur, Neimasaipur, Kandarpur and nearby villages alleged that gushing floodwater from the breach washed away paddy seedlings in thousands of hectares of agriculture fields.
Assistant executive engineer of National Highways Division Sekhar Samal said continuous rainfall has prevented repair work near the Kandarpur level crossing. Commuters travelling between Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack are being diverted through Machgaon canal embankment road from Athanga chowk on NH-55. Repair work would be taken up after the floodwater recedes, he added.