Odisha Drowns: 170+ Villages Flooded, More Rain Coming
IMD warns of heavy rainfall as Odisha battles floods.
Northern Odisha is grappling with a severe flood crisis as over 170 villages in Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur districts remain submerged for the second consecutive day. The Subarnarekha River, breaching its danger mark of 10.36 meters with water levels at 10.70 meters at Rajghat, has inundated 130 villages across Baliapal, Bhograi, and Jaleswar blocks.
In Jajpur, a 30-meter breach in the Kani River embankment, a tributary of the Baitarani, has flooded 45 villages in Dasarathpur block, while Bhadrak’s Dhamnagar and Bhandaripokhari blocks face similar devastation. Parts of Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts are also affected, with a tragic incident in Sundergarh where a trailer truck was swept away by the Safei River, leaving driver Sujit Aind missing and rescue operations ongoing.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, who is visiting Jajpur’s affected areas, confirmed that relief efforts are in full swing. Over 3,000 people have been evacuated to 17 shelters across Balasore, with free kitchens providing cooked meals, dry food, and cattle fodder.
The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and fire services are deployed, with notable rescues including a 23-day-old baby in Jajpur’s Ahiyas village. However, farmers face dire losses, with vast stretches of paddy and vegetable crops submerged, exacerbating economic distress after six floods in the Subarnarekha this year.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of worsening conditions due to a fresh low-pressure area formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal at 5:30 AM on August 26. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast for August 26–27, with an orange alert for thunderstorms and gusty winds (30–40 kmph) in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, and 18 other districts. Gajapati, Rayagada, Nayagarh, and Kandhamal face a very heavy rain warning, threatening further inundation.
The state government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has intensified rescue operations and extended free kitchen facilities for a week, but the looming rainfall raises fears of prolonged flooding.
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