Baliapal: Hardly has floodwater receded in scores of villages and farmlands in north Balasore when the water level in the Subarnarekha river has started rising, triggering panic among people living in low-lying areas under Baliapal block, a report said.
The water level in the river was at 7.80 metre at Rajghat Friday morning against the danger level at 10.36 metre. It continued to rise and touched 9.13 metre Saturday afternoon.
This has created possibility of floodwater entering most parts of Baliapal. Farmers are deeply worried as they have already lost crops and vegetables due to three backto-back floods.
Over years, people living in 20 riparian villages in this block have been facing flood fury, because the river mouth of Subarnarekha has silted. And there is an urgent need for dredging it to facilitate smooth passage of floodwater, they added.
People of Baliapal, Kudamansigh, Sungamuhan, Nayabali, Bishnupur, Routraypur, Ikadpal, Kulhachad, Talapada, Jamkundaparuki, Charbastkalrui, Choudhrykud, Asti and Surjapur will not face frequent floods, they noted.
They also pointed out that the river embankments have become weak at different points, which need to be fortified.
Two days ago, several parts of the district had been flooded and waterlogged following heavy rains due to deep depression on the Bay of Bengal.
Heavy rains lashed upstream areas of Subarnarekha for two days. Several houses collapsed and 50 panchayats in Bhograi block were marooned due to floodwater.
Floodwater in low-lying villages under Jaleswar, Bhograi, Baliapal and Basta has not yet receded. Paddy in hectares of farmland is rotting under water.
People in these 50 panchayats are still struggling with water-logging. And now, they have lost their sleep over fears of another flood.
PNN