Bhubaneswar/ Balasore / Keonjhar/ Rourkela: Torrential rain influenced by deep depression over the Bay of Bengal over past three days has triggered flash flood fear in north Odisha pockets.Vehicular movement on the Kolkata-Mumbai National Highway (NH‑49) has been suspended after severe flooding submerged a stretch near Rugudihi village under Telkoi tehsil in Keonjhar district. The district administration’s statement on Tuesday attributed the situation to incessant rain. According to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), torrential rain in the forested Janasanpur elephant corridor pushed up the water level. Officials suspect the flooding might worsen by a breach or overtopping of an upstream check dam, sending a surge of water across the highway.According to the water resources department, rising waters of Salandi, Baitarani, Kansabansa, Jalaka and Gamei rivers might cause floods in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts besides adjoining areas. Widespread waterlogging in low-lying areas and severe disruption in road connectivity were witnessed on Tuesday.Revenue minister Suresh Pujari said “The govt is fully prepared to tackle any trouble in wake of flash floods.” He said steps were taken to evacuate people to safer places and provided cooked food and other arrangements.“Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams have been deployed in Sundargarh, Balasore and Bhadrak districts to handle emergencies. National Disaster Response Force teams and fire services personnel have been put on alert at strategic locations,” Pujari said.As a precautionary measure, district administrations have ordered closure of schools in the affected areas. Balasore witnessed one of the heaviest spells of monsoon rain this season, recording 246.6 mm of rain in 24 hours. In Balasore town, several major roads remained submerged, severely disrupting traffic movement and inundated roads, residential colonies and commercial establishments.Fire services personnel, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and municipal drainage workers have been deployed in vulnerable areas, including Mahanal, to carry out evacuation and water-drainage operations. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as incessant rain continues to hamper relief efforts. Balasore collector Mayur Suryawanshi said dry rations are being distributed to flood-affected people in waterlogged areas of the affected blocks and urban local bodies. He said evacuation operations are being carried out by fire Services and ODRAF teams, while adequate arrangements have been made at designated relief shelters. The collector urged residents to regularly monitor weather and flood forecasts and strictly follow all official advisories.Neighbouring Mayurbhanj district remains under a red alert issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as heavy to extremely heavy rainfall continues across the region. Bhadrak recorded 148 mm of rainfall during in 24 hours.In Sundargarh , rain severely affected Gurundia community health centre and Gurundia block office in Bonai sub-division of Sundargarh district, keeping both of them inundated on Tuesday. Patients, their attendants and healthcare workers had to wade through waist-high water in the CHC, on the same campus as the block office. Blinding rain damaged the boundary walls of the block office and the CHC early on Tuesday.
Attachment
Attachment
Attachment
Attachment
Attachment
Attachment
