Is There a Flood Threat in Odisha?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The state government has ruled out any immediate flood threats.
- Heavy rainfall is expected over the next few days.
- Major rivers are safe and below danger levels.
- Financial support will be provided to affected residents and farmers.
- Continued monitoring and alerts are in place to ensure public safety.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 3 (NationPress) In light of the heavy rains caused by a low-pressure system sweeping across Odisha, the state government has confirmed that there are currently no immediate flood threats.
During a media briefing, Chandra Sekhar Padhi, Engineer-in-Chief of the State Water Resources Department, stated that even with the persistent rainfall linked to the low-pressure system, the region is not facing a flood crisis.
He noted that all major rivers in the state are currently flowing below danger levels.
The well-defined low-pressure area over the Northwest Bay of Bengal has led to significant rainfall throughout the state.
According to the India Meteorological Department, this system is expected to move west-northwest across the northern part of Odisha and neighboring Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh within the next 24 hours.
The weather agency has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in areas such as Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, and Cuttack until Thursday morning.
Additionally, a yellow warning has been issued for heavy rainfall in multiple districts including Bhadrak, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Boudh, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Koraput, Sundargarh, Balasore, and Kendrapara until Thursday morning.
The IMD has also issued alerts for heavy rainfall in several districts over the next four days.
It has been reported that heavy to very heavy rainfall has been recorded in areas such as Bolangir, Nayagarh, Koraput, and Keonjhar during the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, due to swollen rivers, many villages in Kendrapara, Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak, and surrounding areas remain inundated with stormwater. Agricultural fields are also submerged, leading to significant crop damage, particularly in northern Odisha.
The state government has previously pledged to provide financial support to residents and farmers affected by flooding for damages to homes and crops.