Flood Fury / 503 Villages, 52 Blocks Hit By Floods In Odisha; Over 93,000 Evacuated: Minister

Bhubaneswar, Aug 15: Flooding has affected 2,70,212 people across 503 villages in 52 blocks of six districts in Odisha over the past 48 hours, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said at a press conference on Saturday.

A total of 5,417 hectares of farmland has also been affected, while 93,406 people have been evacuated.

Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, Baleshwar, Bhadrak and Jajpur are among the worst-affected districts. The minister said the flood situation is improving as there has been no significant rainfall in the state on Saturday.

Subarnarekha Levels Remain Critical
The minister said water levels in the Subarnarekha River at Rajghat and Mathani remain in a critical situation. The government is also monitoring the possibility of another depression, based on the India Meteorological Department's forecast.

Baleshwar and Mayurbhanj are expected to face the greatest impact if the system develops, the minister said.

Also Read: 10 ODRAF, 7 NDRF Teams Deployed Across Flood-Hit Areas In Odisha: SRC

118 Response Teams On Alert
Pujari said Odisha's ODRAF and NDRF teams are prepared to respond to any deterioration in the flood situation. A total of 118 teams are on alert, while discussions have been held with all District Collectors regarding preparedness and response measures.

"We are also monitoring the situation in Kendujhar, where a private hydropower-generating company has been releasing water during flood conditions. The District Collector has been directed to take strong action against the company", he said.

Govt Working On Long-Term Flood Plan
Pujari said the government is working on a long-term plan to address recurring flood-related problems and find a permanent solution to the issue.