Odisha’s Bhadrak reels in distress as floods swallow farms, paddy fields; farmers allege years of non-action

Heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas has triggered fresh flooding in Bhadrak district, especially in the Basudevpur block, where the Kansabansa river has reportedly breached its banks.

Ground visuals showed that vast stretches of farmland are now submerged under three to four feet of water, leaving thousands of hectares of paddy fields inundated. In return, farmers across Surdashanpur and Barantua panchayats reported that their standing crops have been completely submerged, with little chance of recovery.

Farmers Stare At Crop Loss

Locals said water has been standing in the fields for days, threatening to destroy the season’s yield.

“We are watching our hard work vanish before our eyes. Every year the floods take away our paddy, and this year is no different,” said Purnachandra Dhala, a farmer from Basudevpur. 

Another resident, Narendra Dhala, pointed out that the flooding has become a recurring crisis, demanding immediate and permanent measures.

"There is hardly any farming left to do. The paddy fields that have been submerged are now home to lost crops. Farming would not be possible on areas that have been partially submerged, either. This happens every year, and hundreds of acres of farmland go underwater. No one has done anything about it,” he said.

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Kansabansa And Gamei Rivers In Spate

Sources confirmed that both the Kansabansa and Gamei rivers are swollen, adding to the flood situation in Basudevpur. Two panchayats are facing the brunt of the situation, with water levels rising rapidly across low-lying areas.

With the rivers continuing to flow above normal levels, fresh inundation is feared if rains persist in the upper catchments.

Meanwhile, officials in Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur have confirmed that flood monitoring teams are on the ground. Relief measures, including the supply of dry food and safe drinking water, are being mobilised, but farmers in Basudevpur fear that much of their paddy crop has already been lost to the Kansabansa floods.