Daijiworld Media Network - Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, Aug 25: Major rivers in Odisha continue to flow above danger marks, causing widespread flooding in several parts of the state, particularly in the northern districts.

Chandrasekhar Padhi, Engineer-in-Chief of the Odisha Water Resources Department, informed media that blocks such as Bhograi, Baliapal, Basta, and Jelswar in Balasore district have been affected by flooding due to the Subarnarekha River swelling beyond safe levels.

The Baitarani River, also flowing above danger mark, has impacted Jajpur’s Jajpur and Dasarathpur blocks, as well as Dhamnagar block in Bhadrak district. Padhi further disclosed a 30-meter-wide breach in the Kani River, a tributary of the Baitarani, near Ahiyaas Bazar under Kaspa panchayat in Jajpur district. Restoration work will begin once water levels recede, with materials already being gathered at the site.

As of Monday, the Baitarani River at Akhuapada in Bhadrak is 0.63 meters above the danger mark, with water levels expected to subside by Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the Subarnarekha River was recorded at 10.72 meters at Rajghat, Balasore, where the danger mark is 10.36 meters. Though water levels are anticipated to drop to 10.4 meters late tonight, ongoing heavy rains at Jamsola Ghat may cause a rise again.

Additionally, heavy rainfall in upstream areas has significantly raised the Brahmani River levels at Bonai in Sundargarh district.

Floodwaters have inundated several parts of Dhamnagar block in Bhadrak, leading to the closure of schools and Anganwadi centres for two days. Low-lying farmlands across the region remain submerged, affecting agricultural activities.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are prepared to respond as water levels fluctuate.