Odisha floods affect over 7 lakh people as July rainfall 97% above normal

Over seven lakh people across 20 districts of Odisha have been affected by floods following heavy to very heavy rainfall that pushed the state’s July cumulative total to 644.1 mm, nearly 97 % above normal. Around 1.89 lakh residents were evacuated to safer places, with Bhadrak district alone accounting for 4.11 lakh of the affected. Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari conducted an aerial survey of the worst‑hit areas and ordered damage assessments within 72 hours of floodwaters receding.

Which districts are worst affected and how many people have been evacuated?

Bhadrak district bore the brunt of the flooding, with 4.11 lakh of the over seven lakh affected people residing there. The state reported that Balasore, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar were also heavily impacted, making these five districts the worst hit. Besides the large‑scale inundation, the Budhapada bridge under Bhandaripokhari block in Bhadrak was washed away, severing road communication in the area. A resident of Bari in Jajpur district, Akashay Sahu, said, "We have lost vegetable crops and paddy saplings prepared for transplantation. We are staring at a huge loss due to the floods. My friend’s fish pond has also been submerged."\n\n## What relief and rescue operations have been deployed? Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari directed officials to complete district‑level damage assessments within 72 hours after floodwaters recede. To oversee the response, three senior officers were assigned to supervise operations in Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur. A total of 136 response teams, including ODRAF, NDRF and fire services, have been deployed across the vulnerable districts. Personnel from Khariar fire station in Nuapada district rescued 27 people, including four women and three children, stranded in the Birighat river near Daragaon village.\n\n## How are river levels, reservoir status and health concerns being addressed? Pujari said the water level in most rivers has been falling after the rain subsided, naming the Brahmani at Jenapur, Baitarani at Akhuapada, Budhabalanga and Jalaka as receding. The Hirakud reservoir level rose steadily to 620.91 ft by 3 pm, with inflows touching 3.19 lakh cusecs and two sluice gates kept open for regulated discharge. Warning of possible snakebite cases as floodwater recedes, the health department has arranged anti‑venom stocks in hospitals. The government has promised compensation for crop loss and house damage to affected farmers.

Related Coverage

• Fire Teams Rescue 27 Stranded Persons from Birighat River in Nuapada
• IMD issues orange, yellow alerts for heavy Odisha rainfall
• Odisha flood situation under control as rescue, evacuation intensified