Flood maroons 48 gram panchayats in Balasore, Mayurbhanj districts

Bhubaneswar/Balasore/ Baripada: At least 48 gram panchayats in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts are marooned by floodwaters Monday, as major rivers in north Odisha are in spate following incessant rains in the upper catchment areas.

The state government has started evacuating people from low-lying areas and launched rescue and relief operations in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts, officials said Monday.

The state government has sounded a red alert for both districts as water levels in rivers like Subarnarekha, Budhabalang, Jalaka, and Sono continue to rise.

According to official sources, Subarnarekha river reached a water level of 11.56 metres, well above the danger mark of 10.36 metres at Rajghat by Monday noon.

Officials of Central Water Commission (CWC) said that the water level has started receding in the river after 3pm Monday. According to the emergency office in Balasore, 46 GPs have been affected by floods, and Subarnarekha water could submerge more areas.

These include 16 GPs in Bhograi, 12 in Baliapal, 12 in Jaleswar, and six in Basta blocks. Similarly, people in Rasgovindpur and Saraskana panchayats in Mayurbhanj district have also been affected by Subarnarekha floods.

Boats have become the only means of transport as nine villages in Bhograi block and four villages under Baliapal block have been cut off from outside the world with flood waters swirling in the area. By Monday morning, as many as 1,138 people had been evacuated in Balasore.

Four teams of ODRAF and five teams of Fire Service have been deployed in the district, the official said.

PNN

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