Flood In Balasore, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Bhadrak To Linger Waterlogging Till Aug 25| Special Report

Bhubaneswar: Even as the Depression has moved past Odisha, and Tuesday stationed over north Jharkhand, the flood map of Odisha is refusing to clear. The danger over north and northeastern Odisha is not over, as the Subarnarekha, Jalka, Brahmani and Baitarani systems are likely to keep several districts under prolonged flood stress.

For Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Keonjhar, the problem is no longer simply how high rivers rise on a particular day. It is how long the swollen rivers remain above critical levels, slowing drainage and prolonging inundation across vulnerable floodplains.

The latest hydrological assessment indicates that Odisha could remain under active flood conditions for the next five to six days, at least until August 25. The reason is that fresh rainfall over key northern catchments is expected from August 21, giving rivers little opportunity to recede rapidly.

Balasore Faces The Sharpest Threat

The most alarming signal comes from the Subarnarekha.

At Rajghat in Balasore, the river has already crossed the danger mark. The observed level is around 10.5 metres against a danger level of 10.36 metres.

More importantly, the forecast does not show an immediate fall.

The river is projected to climb towards around 11 metres on Aug 20 and remain above the danger level until at least Aug 24 before beginning a slow recession. That means floodwaters can remain entrenched across the Balasore floodplains even after the rainfall intensity begins to ease.

This is why Balasore could remain a major flood hotspot well beyond the immediate 24-hour rainfall window.

Jalka Adds Another Layer Of Risk

The Jalka system presents a similar problem.

At Mathani Road Bridge, the river has already crossed the warning level of 6 metres and is hovering close to the 6.5-metre danger mark.

The forecast is considerably more worrying: the river is expected to remain above the danger threshold and continue to stay at severe flood stage through the next 72 hours.

For low-lying areas of northern Odisha, this means the flood threat can linger even without another spectacular rainfall event. Once river channels and floodplains are saturated, drainage itself becomes a prolonged process.

Baitarani: Bhadrak And Jajpur Remain Vulnerable

The Baitarani basin is another important pressure point for the districts of Bhadrak and Jajpur.

Akhuapada had earlier breached its danger level of 18.33 metres, reaching 18.45 metres. The latest forecast is more encouraging here, with the river expected to fall below the danger mark On Aug 20 and stabilise around the warning level of 17.83 metres through Aug 23.

But falling below the danger level does not mean an immediate end to flooding.

A river can move from a danger-level breach to a warning-level plateau while large areas of its floodplain remain waterlogged. For Bhadrak and Jajpur, therefore, the immediate concern is likely to shift from a rapidly rising river to slow recession and drainage.

Keonjhar Remains On Watch

Keonjhar's significance comes from its position within the catchments feeding the northern river systems. The hydrological situation remains sensitive because fresh rainfall is expected over catchments including Kendujhar, Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Mayurbhanj from August 21.

The forecast warning is important because even moderate additional runoff can slow the recession of rivers that are already carrying high volumes. The assessment specifically warns that rainfall between August 21 and 25 could keep the major river systems from receding quickly.

Brahmani Is Elevated, But Not Yet A Repeat Of Baitarani

The Brahmani basin is under pressure, although its forecast is less alarming than the Subarnarekha-Jalka combination.

At Jenapur, the river is around 21.66 metres, just below the 22-metre warning level. The seven-day model indicates a plateau-like trend through Aug 23, but the river is expected to remain below the 23-metre danger level.

That makes the Brahmani system a sustained-watch zone rather than an immediate danger-level crisis.

Why Floods Can Linger Even After The Rain Stops

The crucial point for northern Odisha is that river flooding and rainfall do not move in lockstep.

A river may peak several hours after the heaviest rain has passed because water from upstream catchments continues travelling downstream. Once floodplains are inundated, the water can take much longer to drain.

That is precisely why the northern flood story is likely to extend towards August 25 even as the rainfall situation improves.

Odisha's Flood Map In August

Northern Odisha remains apparently vulnerable to a prolonged flood phase, with Balasore facing the most severe Subarnarekha signal, the Jalka system keeping northern pockets under pressure, and the Brahmani-Baitarani network sustaining flood stress across parts of the Jajpur-Bhadrak-Keonjhar belt.

For several northern districts, the bigger challenge now is not another sudden peak – it is how slowly the existing floodwaters recede through the final week of August. 

Also Read: Hirakud Inflow Nears FRL on Aug 19: Will Odisha See a Redux of the July Floods? | Special Report