Flood situation remains unchanged in two Odisha districts

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 1:

Though the flood water in all major rivers in North Odisha districts have receded in the last two days, the flood situation remains unchanged in Baleswar district while the situation is still grim in Bhadrak district, reports said today.

In Bhadrak district, flood water has surrounded several villages in Chandbali and Dhamnagar blocks.

In Paradia village under Sundarpur panchayat of Chandbali block, flood water has entered the houses making the plight of the people, who have gone without food for the last four days, miserable.

People of Solagan and Kashipur villages in Dhamnagar block and Shyamsundarpur and Taladumula villages of Tihidi block are surrounded by floodwaters. Road communication between Bhadrak and Aradi has been disrupted due to overflowing floodwaters on the Balichhatri bridge.

About 1.76 lakh people in 150 villages of 35 panchayats in the district have been affected by flood while over 10,000 hectares of agricultural land have been submerged.

Though there has been a slight improvement in the flood situation in Baleswar district, people are seen moving from one place to other by country boats in several villages under Bhogarai and Baliapal blocks.

In Jajpur district, the flood situation has improved remarkably. Reports said the floodwaters in several villages of Dasarathpur, Korei and Jajpur blocks have receded as Baitarani was flowing much below the danger mark.

However, the flood has caused immense crop loss in these areas with over 36,000 hectares of agricultural land submerged by floodwater. In Binjharpur block alone, about 7000-8000 hectares of land is still submerged under floodwaters.

In Mayurbhanj district, there has been considerable improvement in the flood situation due to recession of floodwaters in Budhabalanga river.

Reports from Baripada said the people of the low-lying areas of Astia, who had taken shelter in schools and other places in Baripada town, have now returned to their houses as the floodwater has receded.

Meanwhile, the first floodwaters of this season has entered some parts Kendrapara district last night due to overflowing floodwaters of Kharasrota river in Kani river. Till reports last came in, floodwaters has entered several villages of Aul, Raj Kanika and Rajnagar blocks.

About 60,000 people of Palimi, Dandi Sahi, Krushnadaspur, Sana Fogala and Bada Fogala panchayats have been badly affected by the flood.

Briefing the media today, Water Resources secretary Pradip Kumar Jena said the there has been no fresh threat of flood in Baleswar, Mayurbhanj Jajpur and Bhadrak districts as the floodwater of Baitarani, Subararekha and Budhabalanga rivers was flowing much below the danger marks.

Talking about the steps taken by the department in the flood-hit areas, he said repair work of four breached embankments in these four districts has been completed.

“There has been meagre rainfall in the delta areas of Subarnarekha and Budhabalanga rivers due to the drifting of cyclonic storm Komen, which has crossed the Bangladesh coast,” he added.