Baleshwar/Baripada: Flood concerns have resurfaced in northern Odisha as the Jalaka River reportedly reached its danger level in Baleshwar district Tuesday and the Budhabalanga continued to swell amid persistent rainfall linked to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal.
At Mathani in Basta block, the Jalaka touched the danger mark of 6.50 metres around 6 am Tuesday. The rise followed heavy rain in Baleshwar and upstream areas of neighbouring Mayurbhanj district over the past two days, sources said.
Heavy rainfall in Rasagobindpur, Morada, Suliapada and Chitrada has contributed to the rising water level, raising fears of flooding in nearby areas. Large areas of farmland may be inundated if the river continues to rise, posing a threat to standing crops, the sources added.
Meanwhile, the Budhabalanga River is also rising rapidly, with its water level at Baripada nearing the danger mark. Waterlogging has already been reported in several low-lying areas, the source informed.
