KEONJHAR/BHADRAK/JAJPUR/BALASORE : The flood situation in north Odisha remained grim on Wednesday as Baitarani, Kani, Salandi, Jalaka and other rivers continued to flow above danger levels while three persons including a firefighter and a one-year-old girl were killed in rain-related mishaps in Keonjhar.
Even as rain subsided on the day, over 54,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas across Bhadrak district and 25,000 were shifted to safety in Balasore. Similarly, around 11,000 people were shifted to shelter homes in Jajpur and 1,815 people were evacuated to safer locations across Keonjhar district.
In Keonjhar, Akhri Dehuri (58) of Kantelei in Dadhia Sahi and the one-year-old girl of Kaliahata were killed in separate rain-related mishaps in Telkoi block on Wednesday. A firefighter was also reportedly electrocuted to death while draining water from a house near the Police Club in Keonjhar town. The deceased firefighter was identified as Chandan Patnaik (26) of Kholua Chainpal colony in Angul district.
Officials said around 12,130 people have been affected by the heavy rain in the district. At least 713 villages in 78 gram panchayats across all the 13 blocks of Keonjhar have been affected. While 56 villages have been submerged, 936 hectare of agricultural land have been damaged. At least 181 houses have been reportedly damaged in the rains.
Officials said the water level of Baitarani river at Anandapur barrage stood at 38.580 metre against the danger mark of 38.360 metre at noon on Wednesday.
The flood situation in Bhadrak district remained critical as Baitarani and Salandi rivers continued to flow above the danger level, inundating hundreds of villages and affecting more than 3.39 lakh people.
By 5 pm on Wednesday, floodwaters have affected 322 villages under 72 panchayats across Tihidi, Basudevpur, Dhamnagar, Bhadrak and Bhandaripokhari blocks. At least 13 wards in Dhamnagar NAC, Bhadrak Municipality and Dhusuri NAC have also been inundated.
Around 54,185 people have been evacuated to safer locations and relief shelters. The administration has opened 195 free community kitchens and relief centres, providing food to all those evacuated. Three NDRF teams and four ODRAF teams have been deployed in the affected areas for rescue and relief operations.
Road connectivity between Dhamnagar and Jajpur has been snapped after Sendahpur bridge went under floodwater. Similarly, connectivity between Jajpur and Chhatabar in Bhadrak has been cut off after around five feet of floodwater submerged the road.
By 6 pm, Baitarani river was flowing at 19.74 metre against the danger level of 18.33 metre at Akhuapada. Salandi river, which passes through Bhadrak town, was also flowing above the danger level.
Bhadrak collector Dillip Routray said the administration had identified 1,45,101 flood-affected people in 62 panchayats in Dhamnagar and Bhandaripokhari blocks. He said the situation remained grim despite the fall in water level of rivers.
In Jajpur, Baitarani and Kani rivers continued to swell, inundating villages and disrupting road connectivity in different parts of the district. Over 25,000 people in 80 villages have been affected by the rising waters of the two rivers. Breaches were reported at two locations in the Kani river embankment in Dasarathpur block. A nearly 100-foot breach in the left embankment at Mahapatra Sahi in Jayantara village inundated the area, leaving around 100 families marooned.
Officials said floodwater entered 27 panchayats in Dasarathapur, Korei and Jajpur blocks. Around 11,000 people had been evacuated from the three blocks. The district administration has closed all schools in Jajpur since Tuesday afternoon.
Similarly, around 1.3 lakh people in more than 400 villages in Balasore district have been affected by floods. At least 500 kutcha and pucca houses have been damaged in the floods over the past three days. Communication between Balasore and Phuladi, Mitrapur and Remuna, and Panchalingeswar and Nilagiri town has been disrupted due to flooding.
The administration is making all-out efforts to ensure the safety of people and livestock in low-lying areas near Budhabalanga, Jalaka and Sono rivers. The Jalaka river is currently flowing above the danger mark of 6.50 metre.
District emergency officer Chinmay Kumar Rout said around 25,000 people have been evacuated from the affected areas. As many as 130 free kitchens have been opened to provide hot cooked food and dry rations to evacuees. Three NDRF, nine ODRAF, 12 fire services and five medical teams have been deployed across the district.
Over 50,000 affected in Angul
Angul: Floodwaters of Mahanadi river inundated several villages in Athmallick and Tikarpara, affecting over 50,000 people in the two areas on Wednesday. The worst hit in Athmallick were Nagana, Aeda, Jamudali and Luhasisingha panchayats.
Similarly in Tikarpara, Gaindi, Behera Sahi and Majhipara villages have been cut off from the mainland with floodwater flowing eight feet above the road. Sources said around 300 families have been affected in Burikina under Kaniha block after Samakoi river breached its banks and floodwater entered the village. Angul sub-collector Mayadhar Behera said the administration has sent adequate food and relief materials to the affected villages.