TV
Flood concerns deepened across northern Odisha on Sunday as the Subarnarekha and Jalaka rivers rose above warning levels, prompting evacuations in low-lying villages of Balasore.
With upstream rainfall and heavy discharge from Jharkhand’s Galudhii Barrage contributing to the surge, the state government has placed several coastal districts on high alert for the next 24 hours.
According to reports, at Rajghat in Balasore, the Subarnarekha River was flowing at 9.55 metres at 7 am today, above the warning level of 9.45 metres and fast approaching the danger mark of 10.36 metres.
Authorities forecast the water level to rise sharply to 11.40 metres by late Sunday night. The release of 8,218.76 cumecs of water through 16 gates of the Galudhi Barrage on Friday reportedly triggered this steep increase.
Meanwhile, the Jalaka River is already above the danger level, registering 7.20 metres against the threshold of 6.50 metres. Inundation has been reported from eight panchayats in Basta block and two in Sadar block, displacing over 320 residents, informed sources.
Broader Flood Scenario: Bhadrak and Jajpur Also at Risk
State Water Resources Department Chief Engineer Chandrasekhar Padhi confirmed that, in addition to Balasore, parts of Bhadrak and Jajpur districts, particularly Dhamnagar, Chandbali, and Dasarathpur, are likely to be impacted within the next 24 hours.
Heavy Rainfall in Catchment Areas Triggers Swelling
The surging water levels are being directly attributed to intense rainfall in northern Odisha’s upper catchments. Mayurbhanj district alone recorded 94 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, with 13 blocks receiving over 100 mm.
Officials said that both Jalaka and Baitarani’s catchments have seen particularly high precipitation, contributing to the rivers’ rapid swelling.
In the west, while the Hirakud Dam is also receiving heavy inflows from Chhattisgarh, its water level remains manageable at 610.31 feet, which is well below its full reservoir level of 630 feet. Twenty gates have been opened to discharge around 3.36 lakh cusecs, against an inflow of 4.61 lakh cusecs.
Subarnarekha Flood May Affect Over 100 Villages
Meanwhile, in Balasore, the Subarnarekha’s rising waters have reignited memories of past floods. If the forecasted levels materialise, more than 100 villages across Bhogarai, Baliapal, and Jaleswar could be affected, officials warned.
"We are on alert. Senior officials are engaged in around-the-clock monitoring. Sufficient sandbags have been procured and, if required, will be deployed along the river banks," said Nabakumar Mahalik, Executive Engineer, Balasore, Department of Water Resources.
