Overflowing Subarnarekha hits Mayurbhanj, Balasore

BHUBANESWAR: Thousands of people in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts were affected by the flashfloods in the Subarnarekha. It was caused due to release of water from dams in Jharkhand.
River Baitarani also inundated some low-lying areas in Jajpur district.
Special relief commissioner Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said, "There is nothing to panic. The flood in Subarnarekha is not alarming as there has been no major rainfall in the up and downstreams of Subarnarekha".Mohapatra said the government was prepared for any eventuality.
Five teams of ODRAF and one team of NDRF have been kept ready to take up search, rescue and relief operations in case the situation becomes grim.
Official sources said river Subarnarekha was flowing at 11.68 metres at Rajghat, one metre above the danger mark of 10.36 metre by the evening.
"The water level at Rajghat might remain below 12 metre," said a government officer monitoring the situation. Besides, there was also no fear of any flood in the Baitarani, he said, adding, its water level is falling.
The officer said more areas in Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts might get submerged due to inflow of more water into the Subarnarekha river system. He said four blocks - Jaleswar, Basta, Baliapal and Bhograi - in Balasore district and Rasgobindpur block in Mayurbhanj district might get affected.