Bhubaneswar, August 15:The flood situation remained grim in six districts of Odisha on Saturday, with heavy rainfall triggered by a depression over the past 24 hours inundating several low-lying areas and forcing the evacuation of more than 95,000 people to safer locations, officials said.

According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), around 2.70 lakh people in 503 villages across 52 blocks have been affected by the floods in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Kendrapara districts.

The flooding has been caused by swollen waters of the Baitarani, Brahmani, Jalaka and Budhabalanga rivers and their tributaries. In Balasore, the situation has worsened further as the rising Subarnarekha River has added to the flooding already caused by the Jalaka and Budhabalanga rivers.

The state government has intensified evacuation and relief efforts as authorities continue to closely monitor water levels and the evolving flood situation in the affected districts.