Bhubaneswar: Floodwaters continued to disrupt normal life across several parts of Odisha Friday as swollen rivers inundated villages, snapped road connectivity and forced evacuations in multiple districts following heavy rainfall and increased discharge from upstream reservoirs.
The worst-hit areas were reported from Kataka, Bhadrak, Puri and Jajpur, where major rivers flowed above danger levels, leaving hundreds of villages waterlogged and thousands of people affected.
In Kataka, flood situation worsened in Tigiria and Banki blocks as rising Mahanadi waters submerged large areas. Badanauput, Sompada, Hattamal and Gadadharpur panchayats in Tigiria were among the worst affected. In Banki, nearly 15 villages under Ostiya, Subarnapur and Bandal panchayats were cut off after floodwaters inundated roads and low-lying areas.
In Bhadrak, Salandi River crossed the danger mark at Rajghat. Floodwaters also affected Bhadrak, Chandbali, Tihidi and Dhamnagar blocks, while overflowing Kansabansa and Gamei rivers inundated seven panchayats in Basudevpur block.
The flood threat also intensified in Puri, where both the Bhargavi river flowed above danger levels, as measured 11.25 feet at Balanga, exceeding its danger mark of 10.42 feet.
In Jajpur, officials reported seven embankment breaches in three rivers, four on the Brahmani, two on Kani, a distributary of the Baitarani, and one on the Nua Mahara of the Kharasrota, affecting more than one lakh people. Over 10,000 residents have been shifted to safer locations.
The district administrations, assisted by ODRAF, NDRF and Fire Services teams, are carrying out rescue, evacuation and relief operations. Authorities have urged residents of vulnerable areas to remain alert, avoid entering floodwaters and follow official advisories.