Bhadrak reels under fresh floods, villages submerged in Dhamnagar

For the third time this year, floodwaters of the Baitarani river have wreaked havoc in Bhadrak district, leaving residents of Dhamnagar block reeling under severe distress. Continuous swelling of the river has submerged vast areas, crippling normal life for the past two days.

Large parts of four panchayats- Hasanabad, Arjunpur, Padhani and Sohada, are under water. Villagers here describe the situation as grim, with both people and livestock struggling for survival. Homes, farmlands, and even cattle shelters are inundated, forcing many families to take shelter on higher ground.

The impact is particularly severe in Arjunapur and Hasanabad, where acres of standing crops have been destroyed, depriving farmers of their only source of livelihood. 

Similarly, in Bhandaripokhari block, floodwaters have entered farmlands near Kantighai, further compounding the misery of cultivators.

Locals pointed out that this is the third flood within a year, and each time the devastation is leaving them poorer and more vulnerable. 
Families say they are living in ‘unbearable conditions’ without adequate relief, surviving with limited food and unsafe drinking water.

With a fresh low-pressure system likely to form over the Bay of Bengal within the next 48 hours, Odisha is expected to witness another spell of heavy rain. 

As the Baitarani is yet to recede, the situation in flood-hit villages remains precarious amid the rainfall alert.