Subarnarekha in spate, flood fear looms large in North Odisha

The fear of a flash flood loomed large over the northern parts of Balasore on Saturday following incessant rains in the catchment areas of Subarnarekha river. The people in riverside villages are scared with the weathermen predicting heavy rainfall for next a couple of days.

The water level in the river was however below the danger level last evening. While the warning mark at Rajghat is 9.45 meter, the floodwater was flowing close to 8.67-meter mark. The district also witnessed heavy rainfall throughout the day.

The residents in Bhogarai, Jaleswar and Baliapal blocks fear for a possible flood, as there is heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Subanarekha in Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand. There was widespread concern with weathermen predicting that all the catchments will receive more showers during the next 48 hours.

Meanwhile the Subarnarekha river is in spate and the first floodwaters of the season has inundated large tracks of paddy fields and flooded the village streets in three blocks of Balasore district. The water has gushed into several houses in low-lying areas and

riverside villages including Jamkunda, Rasulpur, Bishnupur, Madhupura, Ghantua and Debhog panchayats in Baliapal block, Mankidia, Beherasahi and Bazarsola in Jaleswar block. Though no damage has been reported, people residing in the villages along the river have been asked to remain alert. People fear devastation with the incidents of landslides in the river embankments, which were breached last time and yet to be repaired.

Jaleswar tehsildar Rajanikanta Biswal has visited Mohammadnagar Patana and Rairamchandrapur areas while Baliapal BDO Gopinath Kuanr reviewed the flood situation at a meeting in the block office. Balasore collector Ranjit Mohanty said BDOs and Tehsildars have been alerted following the warning of the low pressure-triggered rain. “We are ready for any eventuality,” he said.