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Continued Struggles in Flood-Affected Areas

Jajpur/Balasore: Although the water levels in major rivers across northern Odisha have dropped below the danger threshold, approximately 100 villages in Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur districts remain inundated for the fifth consecutive day, according to officials.

Around 30,000 residents in these villages are grappling with the aftermath of flooding.

In Balasore, 80 villages in the Baliapal and Bhograi blocks are surrounded by floodwaters reaching about 4 feet high, while 14 other villages in the Dasrathpur block of Jajpur district are experiencing similar conditions. Some areas in the Dhamnagar block of Bhadrak are also still submerged.

Rabinda Samal, a resident of Dasrathpur, expressed his distress, stating, "Even though the Baitarani river's water level has decreased, our villages have been flooded for five days. My home has been damaged, and essential items, including food and fodder for my livestock, have been destroyed."

Samal recounted his return from a relief center, navigating through waist-deep water, only to find his home in ruins. He lamented, "I have no shelter or food. The administration provides some rice, but how can we cook when our homes and ovens are still underwater?"

Sabita Swain, another local, criticized the government's claims of improvement, saying, "The flood situation has not improved as long as we remain in relief camps and cannot use our cooking stoves." She highlighted the severe drinking water crisis due to contamination from the flood.

Swain explained that the Dasrathpur area was suddenly flooded due to a breach in the Kani river embankment, a tributary of the Baitarani. "We had no time to gather our belongings and fled as the flood struck," she said.

Official reports indicate that over 8,000 individuals from at least 14 villages in the Kasapa and Malikapur gram panchayats of Dasrathpur block are still stranded due to floodwaters caused by a significant breach in the Kani river embankment.

Since Saturday, more than 5,000 people have been evacuated and are currently housed in nearby schools. With their homes severely damaged, residents are struggling to recover their belongings.

Flood victims have reported shortages of clean drinking water and food, with stagnant water raising health concerns.

The floodwaters have also destroyed fodder supplies, leaving livestock without feed.

"We are providing free cooked meals in 25 relief camps. While the water has receded from the rivers, we are working to supply rice and dry food to the affected areas. Additionally, we are prioritizing the provision of fodder," stated Akash Pattanaik, the Block Development Officer of Dasarathpur.

He mentioned that repair work on the breached embankment would commence on Friday.

A report from Balasore noted that this marks the sixth flooding event since June this year in the Subarnarekha river.

Although timely evacuations saved lives, the entire populations of Baliapal, Bhograi, Basta, and Jaleswar have lost their Kharif crop harvest.

"The affected communities have lost their food supply for the entire year due to repeated flooding. The government should announce a special relief package for the impacted residents of these four blocks in Balasore," urged a local sarpanch.