Balasore, Aug 14: Floodwater inundated more than 202 riverside villages in Orissa’s Balasore district, forcing people to take shelter in school buildings and other shelters.
Even though the torrential rains have stopped lashing district since Tuesday morning, the flash floods in the major rivers of the district Budhabalanga, Subarnarekha, Jalaka and its tributaries have affected six blocks – Basta, Baliapal, Jaleswar, Bhogarai, Soro and Simulia blocks of the district.
Three rivers in the district were flowing above danger mark till Tuesday evening.
This time along with North Balasore, which witnessed third consecutive floods this season, southern parts of the district also have been badly affected by Kansabansa river which passes through Soro and Simulia blocks.
Several road links, electricity and telecommunication facilities have been disrupted.
According to the official sources, 102 villages are under floodwater of Jalaka, Subarnarekha and Kansabansa rivers since Monday. While nearly 2000 people have taken shelter on national highway – 60, others in the cyclone shelters and high places.
While more than 50 villages under Soro and Simulia blocks have been affected, over a hundred villages in Bhogarai followed by 30 villages in Basta, 22 villages in Baliapal blocks are hit by recent flash floods.
Though, train services on South – Eastern Railway is resumed on Tuesday, trains are running more than one hour late. Several sub roads have been submerged besides developing breaches and disrupting vehicular movements.
The vehicular traffic disrupted at many places as the water still flowing over some important roads. Bus services already have been stopped on Balasore-Baliapal, Jaleswar-Chandaneswar, Bhogarai-Chandaneswar, Nilagiri-Bidu, Mitrapur-Berhampur and Basta-Baliapal road since Monday.
The turbulent water of these rivers breached some embankments, marooning gram GPs including Kedarpur, Talanagar, Sabira, Sajanpur in Soro and Simulia blocks, Baharda, Mathani, Brahmanda, Sadanandapur, Amarda, Nabara, Singla, Routpara, in Basta block, four wards in Jaleswar NAC, Nahara, Bali, Mahagav, Kharidpipal, Nachinda, Kusuda,
Baunsadiha, Panchhi in Bhogarai block.
The floodwater engrossed at least 26,000 acres of agricultural fields in all the said GPs.
However, two persons have been died on Monday. They have been identified as Rajani Bindhani (34) of Jaleswar and Gangadhar Behera (65) of Basta area. They were swept away by the turbulent water of Jalaka river while crossing two separate rivulets.
However, the flood-affected people alleged that the administration is yet to reach them. “We are under flood water. But we are yet to get a piece of polythene and relief material. Due to lack of boat we are unable to go outside.
It also has forced us to spend sleepless nights in the water surrounding. As river side villagers we face the flood again and again but no special arrangements have been made by the administration,” alleged Gadadhar Behera of Pegarpada village.
On the other hand administration claimed to have sent relief teams to the affected areas. “All the villages those were affected in July floods have again been hit this time. Earlier we had distributed relief to these affected area and alerted people to be ready for any eventualities.
Now the flood water is receding and hope the situation will be better on Wednesday,” said Balasore Collector A C Padhiary.
Meanwhile, the water level in Subarnarekha river was 11.52 meter at Rajghat while in Jalaka it was 6.56 m and in Kansabansa the water level was 6.71 m. The danger level of Subarnrekha is 10.36 meter and Jalaka and Kansabansa is 5.50 m each.
Odisha.in