BHUBANESWAR: Over half a million people across five districts remained in the grip of floods as the deluge, triggered by incessant rain, claimed three lives in Odisha, prompting the government to activate emergency relief and rescue measures.
All three deaths were reported from Keonjhar district. One of the victims was a firefighter who was electrocuted, while a child drowned and an elderly person died in a wall collapse.
The overall flood situation remained grim, though under control, with the Mahanadi receding below the danger level at all major gauge stations. More than 5.26 lakh people across five districts continued to be affected, while the Baitarani, Subarnarekha and Jalaka river basins remained at risk of flooding.
The government’s flood bulletin said 54 blocks covering 1,591 villages in 379 gram panchayats and 14 urban local bodies in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar were affected. Rescue and relief teams evacuated 99,067 people from low-lying areas, while 354 villages remained marooned.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi discussed the situation with ministers Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Surjyabanshi Suraj and Ganesh Ram Singhkhuntia, and directed them to step up flood management activities in the affected areas. Majhi said district collectors had been asked to ensure that assistance reached every affected family.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Rayagada and Gajapati also witnessed flooding following heavy rain triggered by the deep depression. He said the situation in north Odisha districts was likely to improve as there had been no rain in the upper catchment areas of the Jalaka, Baitarani, Budhabalanga and Brahmani rivers.
However, a moderate flood is expected in the Mahanadi river system because of rain in the river’s upper catchment areas, he added. The Central Water Commission’s evening gauge bulletin indicated that the Mahanadi had fallen below the danger mark at all three key monitoring stations.
At Naraj, the river was flowing at 25.74 metres, 0.67 metre below the danger level of 26.41 metres, while maintaining a falling trend. Upstream, Khairmal stood at 106.08 metres, nearly three metres below the danger mark, while Tikarpara was also recording a receding water level.
The situation remained critical in parts of north Odisha. The Baitarani was still flowing 1.25 metre above the danger level at Akhuapada, although the water level was receding. The Subarnarekha at NH-5 Govindpur in Balasore district and the Jalaka at Mathani Road Bridge also remained above their respective danger marks.
Bhadrak emerged as the worst-affected district, with 3.39 lakh people impacted. The district also witnessed the largest evacuation drive, with 54,184 people shifted to safety, while 286 villages remained marooned.
In Balasore, floods affected 1.45 lakh people across 412 villages. The administration evacuated 28,231 people and opened 138 relief camps sheltering 22,529 people. The district also reported damage to 654 houses, the highest in the state.
The affected population in Jajpur was comparatively lower at 25,196, but the district suffered the highest crop loss, with 11,497 hectares inundated. Around 11,065 people were evacuated and 20 relief camps were opened.
In Keonjhar, a 20-metre breach developed on the left embankment of the Baitarani upstream of the Anandapur bridge, disrupting traffic on NH-49 between Siribahal and Kaliahota, as well as on the Patna-Bhimkund PWD road.
Across the affected districts, the government has opened 396 relief camps sheltering 86,592 people, besides 19 cattle camps. The office of the Special Relief Commissioner said 44 Fire Services teams, 15 ODRAF teams and six NDRF teams had been deployed to carry out rescue and relief operations.
