Bhubaneswar, June 29: Due to incessant rainfall in Jharkhand and Odisha’s Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, water levels in major rivers—Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga, and Jalaka—are witnessing a sharp rise, triggering flood concerns in the region.
As of the latest readings, the water level in the River Subarnarekha stands at 8.41 meters at Rajghat, against its danger level of 10.36 meters. River Budhabalanga has reached 6.94 meters at Govindpur, with its danger level marked at 8.13 meters. Alarmingly, River Jalaka has already crossed the danger threshold, recording 6.65 meters at Mathani compared to its danger level of 6.50 meters.
Forecasts indicate that peak flood levels are imminent. River Subarnarekha is expected to reach 11.25 meters around midnight, while Budhabalanga may peak at 8.20 meters by 9:00 a.m. on June 30. River Jalaka is projected to hit 6.82 meters by 6:00 p.m. on June 29.
In response, the State Flood Cell under the Department of Water Resources is operating round the clock to monitor developments. The Collector of Balasore has been put on high alert and tasked with accelerating evacuation and relief efforts in vulnerable areas.
To bolster the local administration, an Engineer-in-Chief and a Chief Engineer have been deployed to Balasore to oversee ground-level flood management and ensure effective coordination of emergency measures.
