Odisha flood: One person missing, 50 villages marooned in Balasore

Balasore: One person went missing after being swept away by flood water as over 50 villages remained marooned even as the water level of the Subarnarekha river receded below the danger mark on Sunday, officials said.

A young man from Bishnupur gram panchayat area of Baliapal block in the district is reported missing after being swept away by the floodwaters on Saturday. ODRAF personnel have launched a rescue operation, he said.

At least four blocks - Baliapal, Bhograi, Basta and Jaleswar - were inundated as authorities of Chandil Dam in Jharkhand allegedly released excess water without informing Odisha, Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi alleged terming it a "criminal misconduct".

The flash flood has affected over 50,000 people in the four blocks of Balasore district. However, the administration hopes that the situation will now improve as the water level of Subarnarekha has started receding. The water level at 10 am on Sunday, was 9.94 metre against the danger mark of 10.36 metre at Rajgaht. The highest water level was above 11 metre on Saturday, officials said.

Flood water has already entered into villages and agricultural fields and it may require around four/ five days to recover from the flood situation, officials said.

The state government has deployed boats and teams from Fire Service (5 teams), ODRAF (3) and one NDRF to help the administration in rescue and relief operations. Boats are the only means of communication now as village roads were submerged in flood water, an official said.

Meanwhile, many people from the affected villages have shifted to the river embankments and are taking shelter under polythene sheets.

Collector & District Magistrate, Balasore in a post on X said, "ASHAs under CHCs & PHCs are actively distributing ORS & Halogen tablets in 11 submerged villages of Bhograi and Dahamunda PHC areas and 17 villages of Ghantua and Jamkunda PHC areas. Health teams on-ground. Essential medicines stocked at PHC, Sub Centres & ASHA level."