Odisha flood situation improves, says SRC; Subarnarekha remains a concern in Balasore

Bhubaneswar, August 20: The flood situation in Odisha is gradually improving, with water levels in most major rivers showing a declining trend. However, the Subarnarekha River continues to remain above the danger mark, keeping parts of Balasore district on alert, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said on Thursday.

According to the SRC, flooding has affected six districts and 34 blocks, impacting around 12.87 lakh people. More than 87,000 people have been evacuated to safer locations, while cooked food is being supplied through 185 relief centres.

Among the affected districts, around 28,000 people in Balasore, 1.90 lakh in Bhadrak and 31,000 in Jajpur have been impacted.

Flood Situation in Bhadrak, Jajpur Improving

The situation in Bhadrak and Jajpur is showing signs of improvement, with water levels expected to decline further over the next 12 hours.

Rescue and relief operations continue to be carried out by ODRAF and NDRF teams. Repair work is also underway on breaches reported in the Baitarani and Salandi embankments.

The SRC said it could take another three days for floodwaters to recede completely from affected areas.

Major Rivers Below Danger Levels

Several major rivers in Odisha are now flowing below their respective danger marks.

The Budhabalanga at NH-5 was flowing at 5.76 metres, against a danger level of 8.13 metres. The Jalaka River stood at 6.28 metres, against its danger mark of 6.50 metres.

Similarly, the Brahmani at Jenapur was at 21.38 metres, below its danger level of 23 metres, while the Baitarani at Akhuapada was flowing at 17.98 metres, against a danger mark of 18.33 metres.

Subarnarekha Still Above Danger Mark

Despite the overall improvement, the Subarnarekha remains the major concern, particularly in Balasore district.

At Rajghat, the river rose to 11.82 metres around 3 am, crossing its danger mark of 10.36 metres. Although the water level has started to recede slowly after reaching its peak, the river continues to flow above the danger level.

Authorities are therefore maintaining close surveillance of vulnerable areas along the river.

Rescue and Relief Operations Continue

With thousands of people still affected by the floods, district administrations and emergency response teams continue to focus on evacuation, relief distribution and restoration of damaged infrastructure.

The administration is also monitoring embankments and flood-prone areas, particularly where breaches have occurred.

While the overall situation is moving towards normalcy, the continued rise in the Subarnarekha and the time required for floodwaters to completely drain mean that the flood threat has not ended yet.

The next 72 hours will remain crucial as authorities monitor river levels, repair embankments and assist people waiting to return home.