Balasore: Following heavy rainfall triggered by depression, the Subarnarekha River has experienced severe flooding, worsening the situation in the northern parts of Odisha's Balasore district.

As of 6 a.m. today, the water level at Rajghat in Subarnarekha stood at 10.20 meters, close to the danger mark of 10.36 meters. The warning level is 9.45 meters.

Floodwater from the river has inundated nearby villages. Residents of north Balasore are already dealing with artificial flood conditions due to the recent heavy rainfall while the current flooding of the Subarnarekha has escalated their worries.

Currently, 324 villages across 123 panchayats in four blocks-- Jaleswar, Bhograi, Basta, and Baliapal-- are affected by the flood. In Baliapal block, residents have been alarmed after the sluice gate at Jamkunda caved in.

On the other hand, the collapse of the embankment near Malipal bridge in Srirampur panchayat of Jaleswar block has created a dangerous situation. Water was flowing over the Kamarda-Baliapal road, obstructing traffic and disrupting movement on the Badamandaruni-Nachinda road in Bhograi block. Road communication between Suguru and Kumarshalia in Jaleswar block has also been snapped.

A team from the Water Resources Department visited the affected villages to assess the condition of the river embankments. Thousands of hectares of farmland, mainly paddy fields, have been submerged for the past four to five days, leaving farmers devastated as they fear losing their crops entirely.

The situation is similarly grim in the Jalaka River, which was flowing above the danger mark in the Basta block, affecting 10 panchayats in Basta and three panchayats in Sadar block. Floodwater has entered several villages and thousands of hectares of agricultural land.

At Mathani in Basta block, the water level has risen to 6.82 meters, well above the danger level of 6.50 meters.