Bhubaneswar, August 22: The Odisha government has announced plans to strengthen river embankments across the state following the recent floods, with special focus on the Baitarani river.

Officials said vulnerable embankments will be widened and raised to improve their capacity to withstand heavy floodwaters and prevent future breaches.

Addressing a press conference at the Water Resources Department headquarters in Bhubaneswar, Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Rout said the breaches reported during the recent floods were not man-made but caused by heavy inflow and the accumulation of floodwaters.

He said the flood situation in the Subarnarekha river has improved, with water levels now falling below the danger mark. Water levels in the Jalaka, Baitarani and Brahmani rivers have also receded. At Hirakud, seven gates remain open, releasing around 1.45 lakh cusecs of water.

While waterlogging continues in some parts of Jajpur and Bhadrak districts, the breaches have been closed and restoration work is underway. Engineers have been deployed at the affected sites, with the department aiming to complete the repairs within two days.

Taking lessons from the recent floods, the Water Resources Department has decided to reinforce weak embankments along rivers such as the Salandi, Kanhi and Baitarani. Rout said the strengthening work will be undertaken with financial assistance from NABARD.

The proposed measures are aimed at reducing the risk of future breaches, protecting vulnerable districts and improving Odisha's overall resilience to floods.