Odisha on flood alert, disaster relief teams deployed

Due to the incessant downpour, water levels in the Bramhani, Baitarani and Mahanadi rivers have increased, leading to the inundation of crop fields

Bhubaneswar: Continuous heavy rainfall in different parts of Odisha in the last three days has caused waterlogging in the low-lying areas of several districts including Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Sonepur and Keonjhar.

Due to the incessant downpour, water levels in the Bramhani, Baitarani and Mahanadi rivers have increased, leading to the inundation of crop fields and flood waters entering houses. Schools have closed down at affected blocks.

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Road connectivity would be restored after 4-5 hours on further decrease in water level, officials said. The water level of the Baitarani river, which has crossed the danger mark at Akhuapada and Anandpur, has now started receding.

No major flood-like situation happened in the system, said Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty, engineer-in-chief of the Water Resources Department. The water level of Brahmani has started increasing at Jenapur, but it still is flowing under the danger mark, he said.