Baitarani River flood alert: Jajpur, Bhadrak districts on watch as Odisha braces
Synopsis
Odisha's Baitarani River is set to breach the danger mark at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district, with 1,700 cumecs being released from Anandapur. A Bay of Bengal depression is pushing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across 16 districts — but authorities say the flooding will remain minor and recede within 24 hours.
Key Takeaways
The Baitarani River is expected to cross the danger level at Akhuapada , Bhadrak district , due to heavy upper-catchment rainfall.
1,700 cumecs of water is currently being released from Anandapur ; a minor-to-moderate flood is forecast but expected to recede within 24 hours .
Low-lying areas of Jajpur and Bhadrak districts are on alert; no flooding threat reported for the Mahanadi or other major rivers.
IMD Director Manorama Mohanty confirmed a northwest Bay of Bengal depression moving north-northwestward, bringing widespread rainfall to Odisha.
16 districts — including Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, Sundargarh, and Koraput — are under heavy to very heavy rainfall alert.
Fishermen advised to stay off the north Bay of Bengal and Odisha coast for the next two days due to rough sea conditions.
The Odisha Water Resources Department on Monday, 6 July warned that the Baitarani River is likely to experience a minor flood in its downstream stretches, placing low-lying areas of Jajpur and Bhadrak districts on alert amid relentless rainfall across the state over the past several days.
Key Developments
A senior official of the Odisha Water Resources Department told reporters that the Baitarani currently poses the department's biggest challenge. 1,700 cumecs of water is being released from Anandapur, and the river is expected to cross the danger mark at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district. 'Owing to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment, we expect a minor flood in the downstream areas,' the official said, adding that the situation would not escalate into a major flooding event.
The official further indicated that the minor-to-moderate flood is expected to recede to normal levels within the next 24 hours. Crucially, no threat of flooding was reported for any other major river in the state, including the Mahanadi.
IMD Warning: Depression Over Bay of Bengal
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty said on Monday that a depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal is expected to move in a north-northwestward direction over the next 24 hours, bringing widespread rainfall across Odisha. Moderate to heavy rainfall is likely to persist across several parts of the state, with isolated locations expected to receive very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall under the influence of the system.
Districts Under Heavy Rainfall Alert
According to Mohanty, districts including Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Debagada, Anugola, Dhenkanal, Bargarh, Sonpur, Boudh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Koraput are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places. The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms with lightning and gusty surface winds of 30–40 kmph at isolated locations across several districts.
Fishermen Advisory
Authorities have advised fishermen not to venture into the north Bay of Bengal and along the Odisha coast for the next two days, as sea conditions are expected to remain rough to very rough under the influence of the depression. This is a standard precautionary measure issued when a Bay of Bengal system is active, though the advisory takes on added urgency given the current system's intensity and track.
With the depression still active and multiple districts on high-rainfall alert, authorities are expected to maintain close vigil over river levels across the state through the coming days.
Point of View
Recedes in 24 hours' — is calibrated to prevent panic, but it papers over a structural vulnerability: Bhadrak and Jajpur sit in one of India's most flood-prone river deltas, and 'minor' floods here regularly displace thousands before any official escalation is declared. The real question is whether early-warning dissemination reached the last-mile communities in low-lying areas before the river crested, not after. Odisha has earned a reputation for disaster preparedness, but that reputation rests on proactive evacuation — which requires warnings that precede, not follow, the danger-level breach.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which areas are at risk from the Baitarani River flood in Odisha?
Low-lying areas of Jajpur and Bhadrak districts are at risk, with the river expected to cross the danger level at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district. Authorities say the flood will be minor and is expected to recede within 24 hours.
How much water is being released from Anandapur?
The Odisha Water Resources Department is releasing approximately 1,700 cumecs of water from Anandapur. This release, driven by heavy rainfall in the upper catchment, is the primary cause of the expected danger-level breach downstream.
What is causing the heavy rainfall across Odisha?
A depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal is moving in a north-northwestward direction, according to IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty. The system is expected to bring widespread moderate to heavy rainfall, with isolated areas receiving very heavy to extremely heavy rain.
Which Odisha districts are under heavy rainfall warning?
IMD has placed 16 districts on alert, including Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Dhenkanal, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Koraput, among others, for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places.
Is there a warning for fishermen along the Odisha coast?
Yes. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the north Bay of Bengal or along the Odisha coast for the next two days, as sea conditions are expected to remain rough to very rough due to the active depression.
