Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday expedited rescue and relief operation in Balasore district as the flood situation continued to remain grim, prompting the administration to evacuate over 11,000 people to safety.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who undertook an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in the district, directed the authorities concerned to ensure the rescue of people living in villages marooned due to the flood in Subarnarekha River following deep depression-induced heavy rain in northern Odisha and upper catchment areas of the river.
After taking an aerial survey of worst-affected Baliapal, Jaleswar and Bhograi blocks, the chief minister told reporters, “One team of NDRF, three teams of ODRAF and eight teams of fire service personnel have been deployed in the rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.”
He also asked the district administration to speed up the rescue and relief efforts, as people are still marooned in several villages.
The chief minister said villagers in 35 gram panchayats were still affected and efforts were underway to assist them.
The overflowing Subarnarekha, Budhabalang and Jalaka rivers led to flooding in the district following heavy rainfall in the wake of a deep depression over Bay of Bengal.
“There has been no report of any human casualty thus far,” he said.
Majhi said at least six blocks and about 8,000 hectares of agricultural field have been affected by the flood.
Stating that the Odisha government is taking steps to control flooding in Balasore district, Majhi asked the engineer-in-chief (EIC) of the Water Resources Department to prepare a roadmap for a permanent solution.
The government will take measures to resolve flooding in Subarnarekha, Majhi said.
Meanwhile, sources in the Water Resources Department said that Subarnarekha was flowing above the danger mark at Rajghat.
The Special Relief Commissioner’s office, in a report, said that as many as 11,632 people have been evacuated to safe places as floodwater have inundated 141 villages in Balasore district.
“The state government has opened 51 free kitchens and the people evacuated have been provided with cooked food,” an official said.
Similarly, 1,603 people were evacuated in neighbouring Mayurbhanj district as floodwater entered 101 villages. Low-intensity flooding was also reported in Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts, the official said.
