Baleshwar/Baripada: The flood situation worsened in Baleshwar and Mayurbhanj districts Thursday as incessant rain caused several rivers to swell, inundating villages, farmland and roads and disrupting communication. The Jalaka river at Mathani crossed its danger level of 6.5 metres, rising from 6.24 metres at 6am to 6.80metres by 6pm.
Floodwaters entered several panchayats in Basta block, including Baharda, Kudia, Mathani, Dudhhansa, Raut pada, Gadapada, Sadanan dapur and Brahmanda. Several panchayats in Sadar block were also affected. Floodwaters were flowing 3 to 4 feet deep over several roads, disrupting traffic. Naugaon was cut off. A breach in the Jalaka embankment at Saradiha threatened nearby villages. A breach in the Palapala river embankment at Darada also inundated several villages. Emergency repairs were carried out using poles and sandbags. About 10,000 hectares of farmland were submerged, raising fears of damage to the kharif paddy crop. The district received 1,346 mm of rain in the past 24 hours, according to the district emergency office.
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In Mayurbhanj, water levels in all major rivers, including the Budhabalanga, Subarnarekha and Jambhira, rose sharply, inundating 45 villages in 22 panchayats while the floodwaters of Budhabalan ga entered the Madhuban area in Baripada town. A bridge along Jhaliamaraon Kosta-Deuli main road was washed away, and floodwaters more than 4 feet deep flowed over a bridge near Silada in Morada block.
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