Bhubaneswar: The water level of the Jalaka River, flowing through Basta block in Baleshwar district, has crossed the danger mark on Tuesday, triggering the first flood of the season in the region.
As per reports, the danger level of the Jalaka River at Mathani is set at 6.5 metres, while the warning level is 6 metres. On Tuesday morning, the water level rose rapidly and stood at 6.53 metres at 7 am. By 10 am, it had further increased to 6.56 metres, confirming the onset of flood conditions. Hundreds of hectares of agricultural land in Basta and Sadar blocks have been submerged.
The sudden rise in water level is attributed to continuous heavy rainfall caused by a low-pressure system. In the last two days, Balasore and neighbouring Mayurbhanj district have received extremely heavy rainfall, leading to a sharp increase in the river’s flow from its catchment areas including Rasgovindpur, Morada, Shuliapada, and Chitrapada.
Meanwhile, Balasore town has been badly affected by the incessant rain. Several low-lying areas are waterlogged, causing waterlogging and traffic disruptions at many places.
Key roads and junctions such as Bus Stand–Remuna Road (Nua Sahi Chhak), Telenga Sahi Sai Mandir area, Ajimabada Chhak, Sahadev Khunta to Nua Sahi Road, Tamulia Bridge, Chhatua Pokhari to Mendashul Road, and internal roads near the court premises are severely waterlogged, severely affecting vehicular movement.
The district administration has begun water drainage operations, while fire services personnel are on standby to shift people to safer locations if required.
According to rainfall records, Balasore district received 405 mm on July 26 and 354 mm on July 27. On July 28, the district recorded 173.1 mm, with the town area alone receiving 204 mm till morning.The situation remains tense, and authorities are closely monitoring the water level of the Jalaka River. Further rainfall is likely to worsen the flood situation in low-lying areas.
