High Flood Risk in Odisha as Major Rivers Surge Past Danger Levels
Subarnarekha River was flowing at 9.55 metres as of 7 am — exceeding its warning level of 9.45 metres and rapidly nearing the danger mark of 10.36 metres.
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2025-07-27 10:15 GMT
Bhubaneswar: Northern Odisha braced for high floods on Sunday as the Subarnarekha and Jalaka rivers surged past warning thresholds, triggering evacuations from low-lying areas in Balasore district.
Fuelled by relentless upstream rainfall and a massive water release from Jharkhand’s Galudih Barrage, the situation has prompted the Odisha government to place several coastal districts on high alert for the next 24 hours.
At Rajghat in Balasore, the Subarnarekha River was flowing at 9.55 metres as of 7 am — exceeding its warning level of 9.45 metres and rapidly nearing the danger mark of 10.36 metres. Officials project the river could crest at 11.40 metres by late Sunday night. The dramatic rise follows the release of 8,218.76 cumecs of water through 16 gates of the Galudih Barrage on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Jalaka River has already crossed the danger mark, registering 7.20 metres against a threshold of 6.50 metres. Floodwaters have inundated eight panchayats in Basta block and two in Sadar block, displacing over 320 residents, according to official sources.
Chandrasekhar Padhi, chief engineer of the water resources department, said besides Balasore, parts of Bhadrak and Jajpur districts — especially Dhamnagar, Chandbali, and Dasarathpur — are likely to face flooding in the next 24 hours.
The sharp surge in river levels has been directly linked to intense rainfall in upper catchments across northern Odisha. Mayurbhanj district recorded 94 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, with 13 blocks receiving over 100 mm, contributing significantly to the swelling of the Jalaka and Baitarani rivers.
In western Odisha, the Hirakud Dam is also witnessing heavy inflows from Chhattisgarh. However, the situation remains under control, with the reservoir’s water level at 610.31 feet — well below its full capacity of 630 feet. Twenty gates have been opened to release approximately 3.36 lakh cusecs of water, compared to an inflow of 4.61 lakh cusecs.
Back in Balasore, the rapidly rising Subarnarekha has reignited memories of devastating past floods. If forecasts hold, over 100 villages across Bhogarai, Baliapal, and Jaleswar blocks could be impacted, officials cautioned.
“We are on high alert. Senior officials are continuously monitoring the situation. Adequate stockpiles of sandbags are ready for immediate deployment along vulnerable embankments,” said Nabakumar Mahalik, Executive Engineer, Water Resources Department, Balasore.