Two die, over 60 villages affected by flood in Balasore

Balasore: At least two persons died in flood in Balasore district, even as the number of affected villages came down to 60 with the water levels in several rivers, including Subarnarekha, receding, officials said on Wednesday.

Fire and Emergency Services personnel recovered the body of a 90-year-old man, identified as Dibakar Giri of Kusuda village in Bhograi block, while members of an Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team found the body of Rakesh Singh in the flood water. Singh hailed from Bishnupur village and was swept away in the floodwater currents on Tuesday.

People of around 60 villages in northern parts of the district continued to grapple with inundated roads and fields, as heavy rains under the influence of a low-pressure belt lashed the region, an official said. The plight of the people in these villages has aggravated due to the release of water from dams in neighbouring Jharkhand.

The number of flood-hit villages was 100 in Balasore district on Tuesday. Several blocks such as Bhograi, Baliapal, Jaleswar and Basta have been affected by the flood. The floods caused substantial damage to crops and infrastructure, with many roads, bridges and culverts being washed away in Balasore.

The district administration has deployed teams of the Odisha Fire and Emergency Services, ODRAF and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in rescue and relief operations. A report from Jajpur said the water levels in the Baitarani and Brahmani rivers were also receding.

However, the district administration continued to maintain alert in different blocks.

The people, who took shelter in relief centres due to the flood, have so far returned to their homes in Mayurbhanj as the situation improved in the district, another official said. However, normal life was severely affected in Koraput district due to overnight rainfall triggered by the low pressure.

Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the district collectors of Balasore and Mayurbhanj have been asked to start an assessment of damage to crops, houses and others. He said the affected people will be assisted as per the relief code.

Meanwhile, the weather office said the State is likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorm activity, till July 7 under the influence of cyclonic circulation over south Jharkhand and neighbourhood.