Cyclone-induced rain submerges many villages in three Odisha districts

A large number of villages

in Odishas Bhadrak and Jajpur districts were on Friday inundated due to flash floods in the river Baitarani and its tributaries while a swollen river Subarnarekha, triggered by incessant rain under the impact of cyclone Yaas, affected three blocks of Balasore district, reports said.

The major rivers like Baitarani and Subarnarekha were in spate after extremely heavy downpour in the upper catchment areas due to cyclone Yaas.

A report from Jajpur district said that swelling of the Baitarani river and its tributary has flooded three blocks of the district.

The floodwater of Baitarani and its tributary Kani has inundated large areas of Jajpur, Dasarathapur, and Korei blocks in the district, affecting more than 11,500 people, the report said.

Two embankments of the Kani river have breached near Kantipada and Palasahi villages under Dasarathpur block in the district.

More than 10,500 people of 27 villages under 10 panchayats of Dasarathapur block have been affected due to the flood. Two panchayats of the block are completely submerged due to the two breaches, the report said.

Likewise, water of the Baitarani river has gushed into low-lying areas of Panasa gram panchayat of Jajpur block and Mukundapur and Bandala panchayats of Korai block in the district, affecting over 1,000 people.

Besides, thousands of acres of agricultural lands in all three blocks have been submerged in floodwater. The district administration has asked people residing in low-lying areas to shift to safer places.

Since Thursday, some villages of Dasarathapur block have been flooded and people are unable to leave their homes due to knee-deep water on the roads.

Meanwhile, the Baitarani river which was flowing at 19 metres, 1.17 metres higher than the danger level, at Akhuapada started receding from Friday afternoon.

The Baitarani river is still flowing above the danger mark. The river is flowing at 18.08 metre at Akhuapada against its danger level of 18.98 metres at 9 pm on Friday.

Jajpur collector Chakravarti Singh Rathore visited the breaches in Dasarathapur block on Thursday night to take stock of the flood situation and assured that the embankments will be repaired soon. He also visited Korei and Jajpur flood-hit areas on Friday and inspected relief and rescue operation.

Similarly, heavy rain under the impact of the very severe cyclonic storm Yaas submerged several areas in the Dhamnagar and Bhandaripokhari blocks of Bhadrak district.

The district administration has deployed two ODRAF teams in the Dhamnagar block and one ODRAF team in Bhandaripokhari for the rescue operation.

District Collector Gyana Ranjan Das said, he visited the flood-affected areas in the two blocks.

Similarly, a report from Balasore district said, as the water level in Subarnarekha swelled, floodwater entered the villages located in low lying areas in three blocks like Jaleswar, Bbhograi and Baliapal.

The water level at Rajghat was flowing close to the warning level and the district administration has launched a relief and rescue operation.

The district administrations of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur have resorted to the evacuation of people.

Engineer-in-Chief, Water Resources, J Rath said, "The water level will soon fall as there is less rainfall in upper catchment areas of the two rivers since last 12 hours.