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Panic grips Odisha villagers as sea surge breaches coast again
In a concerning turn of events, the sea breached the coast once again on Wednesday near Siali beach in Jagatsinghpur district. This sudden intrusion, reaching up to 500 meters inland, left farmlands inundated with saltwater and terrified villagers scrambling for safety.
Also Read: Odisha's eroded coastline exposes villages to storm surges, inundation
According to sources, the sea has once again crossed its natural boundary near Siali under the Erasama block in Jagatsinghpur, causing widespread panic and damage. Around midday today, seawater advanced roughly 500 meters inland, swamping cultivated farmland with saline water and partially flooding several coastal shops.
The intrusion not only affected agricultural land but also caused significant disruptions to the local ecosystem, including a vast patch of Jhāun (casuarina) forest. The powerful surge alarmed residents in the nearby areas, many of whom witnessed water entering their households and makeshift shops.
“A sudden and aggressive swell of the sea is frightening. We are worried this might happen more often,” said a local shopkeeper whose shop was affected by the saltwater.
Experts have pointed to coastal erosion, rising sea levels, and changing weather patterns as potential reasons behind the increasingly frequent breaches in this part of coastal Odisha.
Residents urged immediate action from the district administration to construct protective embankments and implement long-term solutions.
No comments were received from the district administration in this regard.
Worth mentioning, due to its close proximity to the Bay of Bengal, Odisha has been facing severe impacts of climate change, including frequent and destructive tropical cyclones, a rise in lightning incidents, erratic rainfall patterns, and ongoing coastal erosion.
Vast coastal areas in Jagatsinghpur are increasingly vulnerable to flooding and submersion as a result of accelerating shoreline erosion, a local intelligentsia opined.
Reported By: Manas