Balasore/ Baripada: After the release of about three lakh cusec of water late Wednesday night from Galudiha dam in neighbouring Jharkhand, flood in river Subarnarekha played havoc in low lying areas of four blocks – Basta, Jaleswar, Bhograi and Baliapal – in this district Friday.
Over one lakh people in the four blocks were affected by the floods. Subarnarekha is now flowing well above the danger mark at Rajghat while river Jalaka and Budhabalanga flowed below the danger mark, it was learnt.
“People in 27 villages of seven panchayats under Baliapal block have remained marooned,” said district emergency officer Dinesh Kumar Nayak.
The flood situation in Basta, Jaleswar and Bhograi has become grim, he added.
In Baliapal, over 10,000 people were marooned due to flood in Subarnarekha. Floodwaters are wreaking havoc in Badapalpada, Palachampei, Kudamansingh, Badamanonagar, Rasalpur, Raoutraypur, Ramnagar, Talapada and Kanakadapal villages.
Communication to scores of villages was disrupted in several parts of Baliapal. Several roads—Pherighat road, Jamkunda-Badapalpada road, Baliapal-Kudamansingh road, Baliapal-Bishnupur road, Baliapal-Kamarda road, Remu-Jhaljhali road, and Palapada-Asti raod are under floodwaters.
People are being ferried by boats to safer places of shelters, after the administration alerted people Thursday evening.
Block development officer (BDO) Somnath Pradhan said two ODRAF teams were engaged with power boats in the area to rescue the people who are left marooned.
Sarpanchs have been asked to use country boats to rescue people from flooded areas.
A 24X7 control room is now operational at the block office while leave applications of all officials of the block were cancelled.
Sarpanchs were directed to provide dry and cooked food to people in each panchayat.
Collector Pramod Kumar Das and officials of various departments reviewed the flood situation and met people in affected areas.
Besides, large tracts of farmlands were inundated. About 545 hectares of farmland in 26 villages in six panchayats under Simulia block were under water from river Kansabansa.
Meanwhile, reports from Mayurbhanj said Subarnarekha is flowing above danger mark while people in several pockets are panicked over the imminent flood situation.
The administration is prepared to meet any kind of eventuality even as floodwaters have entered low-lying areas. PNN