Flood situation grim in Balasore

Balasore: With alarming rise in the water level of Subarnarekha and Jalaka rivers, flood situation in Balasore district in North Odisha has become grim.

Reports said while the water level of Subararekha has crossed the danger mark at Rajghat, water level of Jalaka river has crossed the danger mark at Mathani this morning.

Till reports last came in, water level of Subarnarekha was flowing at a height of 11 metres as against the danger mark of 10.36 metres while Jalaka was flowing at a height of 6.83 metres as against the danger mark of 5.5 metres.

With heavy rains in upper catchments, water level of Subarnarekha is expected to rise further. Reports said due to heavy rains in upper catchments of Subarnarekha, authorities of Galudih barrage in Jharkhand have opened 11 sluice gates of the barrage releasing 2.69 lakh cusecs of water per second.

Expecting high floods in Subarnarekha, Balasore district administration has alerted the people residing near the river embankment advised them to shift to safer places.

Meanwhile, road communication between Basta and Baliapal has been disrupted as the floodwater was flowing at a height of about 4 feet at Baharda, Mathani and Tejagala areas in the district.

As the floodwater has entered low lying areas, people in these areas have shifted their family with their domestic animals to safer places.

At some places, people were seen carrying their bikes on the tractor bed due to overflowing of floodwater on roads.