Bhubaneswar, July 26: Northern Odisha is bracing for a major flood crisis as heavy rainfall in the upper catchments of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts has caused water levels in key rivers—Subarnarekha, Baitarani, Budhabalanga, Jalaka, and Gangahar—to surge past danger marks.

The Jalaka River at Mathani is flowing at 7.20 meters, well above its danger level of 6.50 meters, while the Baitarani River at Anandapur has breached 38.82 meters, surpassing its danger mark of 38.36 meters. The Subarnarekha River is expected to cross 11.7 meters by Sunday morning, threatening low-lying areas in Balasore district.

In Basta block, over 25 villages are waterlogged. In Rasgovindpur, the collapse of the embankment of the Badampur River has submerged more than 2,000 hectares of farmland, devastating crops and isolating communities. Villagers in Rajnagar (Kendrapara) even captured a crocodile that had floated into a pond due to floodwaters.

District administrations in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur have been placed on high alert. Evacuation efforts are underway, with ODRAF, NDRF, and Fire Services deployed across vulnerable zones4. Temporary shelters and open kitchens have been set up, and embankment surveillance has intensified.

Meanwhile, the Hirakud Dam is also witnessing a sharp rise in inflow, with 20 gates opened to release water. Officials report 4.27 lakh cusecs entering per second and 3.35 lakh cusecs being discharged.

Chief Engineer Chandrasekhar Padhi of the Water Resources Department confirmed that advance relocation and real-time monitoring are in place. However, the situation remains critical, especially in Bhogarai, Baliapal, Jaleswar, and Bhandaripokhari blocks.

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