Bhubaneswar/Balasore/Baripada (Odisha), Aug 14 (PTI) At least five districts of Odisha have been affected by fresh floods following two days of heavy rainfall, prompting the administration to evacuate people from low-lying areas and open relief centres, officials said.
Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Keonjhar districts have been affected by the fresh floods.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Pravakar Patil said residents of villages in 45 gram panchayats in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts are being evacuated and shifted to relief centres, where cooked food is being provided to them.
He said the rise in water levels in Jalaka and Budhabalanga rivers have caused floods in Balasore town, Basta and Bhograi area, where people have been provided with relief materials.
Patil said the district administration of Balasore has been cautioned as the Subarnarekha River was also swelling.
“At least 17 rescue teams, including 10 of Odisha Disaster Response Force (ODRAF) and seven of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Bhadrak districts. Besides, fire services personnel have also been engaged in rescue and relief operations,” the SRC said.
Keonjhar district also witnessed floods as the water level in Baitarani River increased due to heavy rain, another official said.
He said Joda, Champua, Barbil and Anandapur blocks have been affected and water has entered localities after breach in the Anandapur ring embankment.
Floodwater was flowing over a state highway near Serenda. The administration has shifted people from vulnerable areas to flood shelters, the official said.
Another official in Balasore district said that around 90 villages in 17 panchayats in Basta block have been affected by floodwaters from Jalaka River, which was flowing at 7.4 metres against the danger level of 6.5 metres in Mathani area in Basta.
Three ODRAF teams and fire services personnel have been deployed for rescue operations, the official said.
Noting that the district was witnessing flooding for the second time this monsoon, he said that major rivers like the Budhabalanga, Jalaka and Subarnarekha were in spate.
Budhabalanga has also crossed the warning level, with the administration shifting around 3,000 people from vulnerable areas to safer places, he said.
Many villages along the low-lying areas of Jalaka and Budhabalang rivers have been affected by floods, he said.
An official in Mayurbhanj district said that floodwater from Budhabalanga has entered low-lying areas in Baripada municipality area and the administration is evacuating people to safer locations.
In Rasgovindpur block of Mayurbhanj, around four feet of water was flowing over the bridge at Sarumula, disrupting traffic. The Baripada-Amarda Road has also been affected.
The Budhabalanga was flowing over the Kaliami Bridge in Bangiriposi.
Jajpur district witnessed the fourth round of floods this monsoon as the water levels rose in Baitarani River and its tributary Kani, another official said.
Floodwater from Kani River has entered several villages through a breach at Dovabil Patana in Tarpada panchayat. Some villages have been inundated in the floodwater and road communication has also been severely affected, he said.
The district is reeling under floods for over a month since the first deluge situation was reported on July 6, followed by the second flood on July 18, third on August 8 and the latest on August 13, the official said.
Meanwhile, the IMD, in its latest bulletin, said the depression over Jharkhand and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal has moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 18 kmph in the last six hours from 8.30 am on Friday and lay centred at about 20 km southeast of Ranchi.
“It is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards across Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh and weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area in the next 12 hours,” the IMD said.
The weather agency issued an ‘orange’ warning (be prepared to take action) for the districts of Sundergarh, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Jharsuguda, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall till 8.30 am on Saturday.
It also forecast heavy rainfall in 14 other districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast squally winds with speed reaching 40-50 along and off the Odisha-West Bengal coast in the next 12 hours.
As sea condition is likely to remain rough, the fishermen were advised not to venture into the Bay of Bengal till the morning of August 15.
It suggested hoisting of Local Cautionary Signal No-III (LC-3) at all ports of Odisha. PTI COR AAM AAM ACD
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