Odisha CM Majhi Monitors Floods in Five Northern Districts
Synopsis
Chief Minister Mohan Majhi is personally overseeing monsoon flooding across five northern Odisha districts. The SRC is coordinating with all district administrations while NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Services teams are deployed at field level, with people's safety declared the top priority.
Key Takeaways
Five districts — Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, and Kendujhar — are under active flood monitoring as of July 30, 2026 .
CM Mohan Charan Majhi is personally overseeing the situation and directing round-the-clock administrative response.
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) is coordinating directly with all affected district administrations in real time.
Teams from NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Services have been deployed at the field level for rescue and relief operations.
Odisha's multi-layered disaster response framework was built after the 1999 super cyclone , with ODRAF established in 2001 .
Five northern Odisha districts are battling monsoon flooding, and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is keeping a direct watch — round-the-clock administration on the ground, rescue teams deployed, and the state's full disaster machinery in motion.
The Chief Minister's Office of Odisha confirmed on Thursday, July 30, 2026 that CM Majhi is personally monitoring the flood situation across Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, and Kendujhar districts. On his directions, district administrations are working without pause — ahoratri nirantara (ceaselessly, day and night).
SRC at the Helm, NDRF and ODRAF on the Ground
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) — Odisha's nodal authority for disaster coordination — is in direct contact with all five affected district administrations, conducting real-time oversight of the evolving situation. It is the SRC's standard mandate during any major hydro-meteorological event in the state, and the office has been activated at full capacity.
Multiple rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and the Fire Services have been deployed at the field level. People's safety, the CMO stated plainly, is the first priority.
A Protocol Forged After 1999
Odisha's response is not improvised. After the catastrophic 1999 super cyclone — one of the deadliest storms to hit the Indian subcontinent — the state built ODRAF in 2001 and systematically hardened its disaster management architecture. The result is a layered system: CM-level oversight feeding into SRC coordination, which in turn drives NDRF and ODRAF deployments at the block and village level.
Balasore and Mayurbhanj are among the districts most frequently hit by monsoon flooding, with river systems like the Budhabalanga swelling during heavy rainfall. Bhadrak, Jajpur, and Kendujhar face similar vulnerabilities from their own river networks. The convergence of all five in a single flood event signals a significant rainfall event across Odisha's north.
Damage assessments, relief camp operations, and any formal request for additional central assistance will be the next indicators of how deep this flood cycle runs.
Point of View
Which took office in June 2024, a swift and visible disaster response also serves to consolidate its governance credentials in a state where cyclone and flood management has historically defined electoral trust. The simultaneous activation of all five northern districts points to a significant monsoon event, and the pace of damage assessment and relief camp reporting will determine whether this escalates into a demand for central disaster funds — a politically sensitive ask that tests Centre-state relations.
NationPress
30 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which districts in Odisha are affected by floods in July 2026?
Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, and Kendujhar districts in northern Odisha are currently affected, with district administrations working round the clock under CM Majhi's directions.
What is ODRAF and how is it different from NDRF?
ODRAF (Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force) is a state-level rapid response unit created in 2001 specifically for floods and cyclones in Odisha, while NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) is a central government force deployed nationally during major disasters.
Who is the Special Relief Commissioner of Odisha?
The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) is the state's nodal official for disaster relief coordination. During the current floods, the SRC is coordinating directly with all five affected district administrations and monitoring the situation in real time.
What is Mohan Majhi's role in the Odisha flood response?
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who has led Odisha's BJP government since June 2024, is personally monitoring the flood situation and has directed district administrations and rescue agencies to maintain continuous operations.
How prepared is Odisha for annual monsoon flooding?
Odisha is considered one of India's better-prepared states for hydro-meteorological disasters, having built ODRAF in 2001 after the devastating 1999 super cyclone and establishing a standardised protocol of CM oversight, SRC coordination, and NDRF-ODRAF deployment.
