Flood Alert Issued in Odisha: Rising River Levels Threaten Balasore and Mayurbhanj
Severe Flood Threat in Northern Odisha
The Odisha government has declared a state of high alert in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts due to an imminent flood threat, as several key rivers in the area are experiencing significant increases in water levels, according to officials.
Rivers including Budhabalanga, Subarnarekha, Jalaka, Jambhira, and Sona are reported to be rising, with potential flooding expected by Monday.
In response to the situation, Balasore Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikash has ordered all government employees to cancel their leaves. The recent flood scare has left residents anxious, especially after a flash flood in Subarnarekha on June 20.
The district administration has begun evacuating residents from low-lying regions in Baliapal and Basta blocks, aided by ODRAF and emergency services. Authorities are urging people to seek shelter to avoid any disasters during the flooding.
Additionally, a public address system is being utilized to inform residents in vulnerable areas about the flood risk, while sandbags have been deployed to reinforce riverbanks and mitigate flooding.
Efforts are underway to ensure the safety of lives and property, officials stated.
Heavy rainfall has disrupted daily life in Balasore and Mayurbhanj. Fishermen have been warned not to go out to sea due to rough conditions following the new moon.
Approximately nine villages in the Saraskana and Rasgovindpur blocks of Mayurbhanj have seen evacuations, with residents provided cooked meals and relief supplies.
The rising water levels have raised concerns in low-lying areas of Badasahi, Betanoti, Gopabandhu Nagar, Saraskana, Rasgovindpur, and Morada blocks in Mayurbhanj.
In light of the situation, the Mayurbhanj district administration has declared a holiday for all schools on Monday, while Anganwadi centers will remain closed for three days. However, supplementary high school certificate examinations will proceed as scheduled.
To manage the flood situation effectively, an engineer-in-chief and a chief engineer have been assigned to Balasore. Water levels in the Budhabalanga, Jalaka, and Subarnarekha rivers are rising rapidly and have surpassed danger thresholds.
According to the Central Water Commission, water levels are expected to continue rising until midnight on Sunday.
Peak flood levels are anticipated in Subarnarekha at 11.25 meters at midnight, Budhabalanga at 8.20 meters at 9 AM on Monday, and Jalaka at 6.82 meters at 6 PM on Sunday.
The State Flood Cell within the Department of Water Resources is monitoring the situation continuously.
Meanwhile, a new low-pressure system has developed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjacent coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh, with northern Odisha expected to experience heavy rainfall, as reported by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
This low-pressure area, influenced by an upper air cyclonic circulation over southwest Bangladesh and Gangetic West Bengal, formed at 5:30 AM on June 29 and is projected to move slowly west-northwest across northern Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, and Jharkhand over the next two days.
The IMD has predicted isolated heavy rainfall across the state from June 29 to July 4, with some areas likely to experience very heavy rainfall until July 1.
The low-pressure system is expected to bring significant rainfall to parts of Odisha from Sunday through Tuesday, with the southwest monsoon remaining active in the state, according to Manorama Mohanty, director of the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar.