A major flood situation is likely to unfold in northern coastal Odisha by Tuesday evening, with the Water Resources Department warning of rising water levels in the Baitarani, Salandi and Jalaka rivers due to heavy rainfall triggered by a deep depression.
Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department, Dillip Raut, said floodwaters are expected to reach the three rivers by evening, with the Baitarani River likely to witness a major flood. Authorities have warned that Bhadrak district could experience severe waterlogging as river levels continue to rise.
According to the department, water levels are expected to start receding after the next 24 hours. However, people living in vulnerable areas will be evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The worst-affected areas are likely to include Dhamnagar, Dasarathpur and Chandbali, where low-lying villages and large stretches of agricultural land are expected to be inundated. Officials said the Jalaka River near Makhani Bridge may rise to 6.8 to 7 metres by evening.
Meanwhile, the peak flood in the Mahanadi River, recorded on Monday evening, has begun to subside. Water levels at Mundali have fallen since noon on Tuesday. However, waterlogging remains a concern in Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts. At present, two gates of the Hirakud Dam remain open.
The deep depression has brought extremely heavy rainfall across northern Odisha, with Nilagiri in Balasore district recording the highest rainfall. Several parts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore have also received intense rainfall over the past 24 hours.
Adding to the concern, a section of the Salandi river embankment at Deulpal in Bhadrak district has collapsed. More than 100 feet of the embankment has reportedly caved in, raising fears of a major breach as floodwaters continue to rise. Residents living along the riverbank are gripped by panic.
Continuous rainfall has caused flooding in the Salandi, Nalia, Reba and Kapali rivers, severely affecting villages in Dhamnagar block. More than 70 families, comprising over 500 people from Muduli Sahi under Katasahi Panchayat, have remained stranded by floodwaters for the past two days. The main road connecting the village to Sahid Nagar has been submerged, leaving the village completely cut off from the outside world.
The state administration is closely monitoring the situation, while disaster response teams remain on alert for rescue, evacuation and relief operations in the affected districts.