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Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has launched a massive evacuation drive from low-lying areas as over 1 lakh people continued to be affected by floods, officials said on Tuesday, July 28.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, after reviewing the situation this evening, said the next 24 hours remained crucial for the three north Odisha districts of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur. This happened as the water levels in rivers rose because of heavy rainfall induced by a deep depression.

Over 1 lakh people were affected in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, and Jajpur districts, while the government has so far evacuated 23,673 people from low-lying areas, an official said.

“The next 24 hours are very crucial for the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur. However, the districts of Keonjhar, Sundergarh and Sambalpur have also been identified as vulnerable to floods, as the water levels in different rivers in the region are rising alarmingly, and the trend indicates a further rise till Wednesday night,” Pujari told reporters after the review meeting.

The minister said teams of ODRAF, NDRF and fire service personnel have already started rescue and relief operations.

Many elderly persons, women and children have been rescued in these four districts, Pujari said, appealing to people to move to relief centres where cooked and dry food items along with baby food are being provided.

He said the police will look after the safety of their properties and houses in villages.

“Let’s remain alert and not panic. The government is fully prepared to safeguard the lives and property of the people,” the minister said even as flood fury was witnessed in the rivers of Jalaka, Baitarani and Salandi across the four north Odisha districts.

Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the government has deputed three senior IAS officers to different districts to oversee flood management.

Night patrolling, women police personnel deployed

The minister also asked officials to expedite the evacuation of people residing in vulnerable and low-lying areas to safer locations.

Police have also intensified night patrolling, and women police personnel have also been deployed to ensure the safety and security of women and children, he said.

Meanwhile, schools, colleges and other educational institutions in the six districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, and Sundergarh were closed for the safety of the children and also to house the evacuated people.

Water Resources Department’s chief engineer, Dilip Kumar Rout, said the flood situation in major rivers such as Mahanadi and Subarnarekha was well managed. However, the waters of the swollen Jalaka, Salandi and Baitarani rivers caused inundation in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts.

About the possibility of Mahanadi and Subarnarekha, the two major rivers in the coastal and northern regions, overflowing, Rout said, “Discharge gates of the Hirakud Dam on the Mahanadi have been shut, and the water level in the reservoir is being maintained at 613 feet against its capacity of 630 feet.”

Meanwhile, IMD has issued a ‘red warning’ (take action) of heavy to very heavy rain for Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Baragada and Sambalpur districts till 8.30 AM on Wednesday and an ‘orange warning’ (be prepared to take action) of very heavy rain in 12 districts. The other 11 districts are under a ‘yellow warning’ (be aware) of heavy rainfall.