Surbarnarekha jumps danger level

Balasore: With the Galudih barrage in Jharkhand releasing flood water from the barrage, the Subranarekha river is flowing above the danger level creating panic for people of Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts.

According to sources, the water level of the river has crossed the danger mark of 10.36 metre at Rajghat in Balasore district.

The release of excess water from Galudih barrage in Jharkhand is likely to create high flood in the Subarnarekha basin area, especially in Rasagobindpur block of Mayurbhanj district and Jaleswar, Basta, Baliapal and Bhogarai areas in Balasore districts affecting lives of four lakh people in more than 250 villages, the sources added.

With the water level of Subarnarekha river rising at an alarming rate, the Odisha government has sounded a high alert in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts.

Keeping the impending floods in view, collectors of these two districts have been asked to stay fully prepared to meet the situation. The two districts have been asked to deploy Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire Services personnel available in their respective districts at strategic locations to take up search and rescue operations.

As per reports, heavy rains have lashed the upper catchments of Subarnarekha with Jamshedpur recording the highest rainfall at 185 mm, forcing the authorities of Galudih barrage to release excess water in the lower catchments.