Bhubaneswar: With heavy rains battering northern Odisha, the state government has placed Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur districts on high alert and initiated evacuation measures in vulnerable low-lying areas, as several rivers have crossed or are nearing danger levels.
According to the State Flood Cell, the Jalaka and Baitarani rivers have already breached their danger marks, while the Subarnarekha River in Balasore district is swelling rapidly and may flow significantly above the danger level by Sunday. Heavy rainfall in upstream districts like Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar has triggered a surge in water levels across these rivers.
Mayurbhanj district, one of the worst affected, received 94 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, with 13 blocks recording over 100 mm. The catchment areas of Jalaka and Baitarani also received intense downpours, leading to rapid accumulation of water and flash flooding in low-lying pockets.
Several areas in Balasore district are already inundated. Basta, Bhograi, Jaleswar, and Baliapal blocks are expected to face flooding by Sunday, with the Subarnarekha River projected to flow above 11 metres, exceeding its danger level of 10.36 metres, said Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department Chandrasekhar Padhi.
Evacuation efforts are already underway in Basta block, where residents have been moved to higher ground and open kitchens have been set up for those affected. The district administration is using a detailed inundation map to guide the evacuation process and ensure timely response.
While the northern districts — Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, and adjoining Jajpur — are witnessing the brunt of the flood situation, officials have confirmed there is no immediate flood threat in the Mahanadi river system. The Brahmani River too is currently stable and not showing any alarming trends.
To manage the unfolding situation, the state government has deployed teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Fire Services to the affected districts, including Kendrapara.
The government has also dispatched two engineers-in-chief from Bhubaneswar to oversee flood control operations in the Subarnarekha and Baitarani basins. Senior officials are monitoring the situation on the ground in coordination with district administrations, said Padhi.
At the Hirakud reservoir, the water level remains under control at around 910 feet against a full capacity of 930 feet. While the reservoir is receiving an inflow of around 4 lakh cusecs, nearly 3 lakh cusecs are being released through 20 sluice gates. “We are in a position to manage any potential flood situation in the Mahanadi basin,” assured Padhi.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a weather alert for Sunday, predicting thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds up to 40 kmph in multiple districts, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, and others.
