Jajpur floods Fury; 250 villages inundated, over 1 lakh impacted after 7 breaches, Flood-hit villagers struggle without food, drinking water.

JAJPUR,31/07(PPT):The flood situation in Jajpur district has turned critical following multiple river breaches across the region. Around 250 villages across 100 panchayats have been affected, impacting nearly one lakh people.As per reports, approximately 10,000 residents have been shifted to safer locations as floodwaters enter new areas, although overall water levels have started gradually receding.A total of seven breaches have been reported in the district across the Baitarani, Brahmani, Kharasrota, and Budha rivers. Four fresh breaches developed in the Brahmani River on the previous day. This led to the inundation of several areas of Bari, while another breach occurred during the night near Nua Mahara in a distributary of the Kharasrota River. Concerns remain as water levels of both the Baitarani and Brahmani rivers may rise further.To support affected communities, the Jajpur Collector previously stated that cooked food arrangements were made at 20 locations for distribution twice daily, alongside supplies of drinking water and medical kits.On Thursday, Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari directed district collectors to strengthen flood response and submit detailed damage reports within three days. He instructed officials to prioritise life-saving evacuations, ensure police protection for vacant homes, and deploy medical teams with anti-venom stocks to prevent snakebite casualties. Hundreds of people in Bhalinua village under Kimiriapal panchayat of Bari block in Odisha’s Jajpur district continue to remain stranded even though the floodwater has started to recede. However, several houses are still under water, forcing families to take shelter on rooftops and at an anganwadi centre. The flood has also affected nearby Malda, Kimiriapal and Udaypur villages, where residents say daily life has come to a standstill. People staying at the anganwadi centre said the biggest challenge now is access to food, drinking water and medicines. With roads being submerged and tube wells under water, many families claim they have spent the last two days without any relief or any kind of assistance. The residents alleged that despite the worsening situation, no official has reached the affected villages. a local resident said, “Even though the water has started receding, many houses are still under water. There is no electricity, no mobile network and no drinking water. We have not received cooked food or dry rations. No one from the administration, the sarpanch or the MLA has come here.” Another resident said, “The floodwater entered our homes again this year. The water has gone down since last night, but no one has come to see our condition.”An ASHA worker said she has been distributing ORS and basic medicines door to door as cases of vomiting and diarrhoea have become a major concern under the prevailing circumstances. She added that reaching patients has become difficult because floodwater has cut off access to many homes and safe drinking water is unavailable.An anganwadi worker said several families shifted to the centre after floodwater entered their homes following the embankment breach. “People have taken shelter here, but there is no food or drinking water. Everyone knows about the situation, but no help has reached us,” she said. An elderly woman said her family had nothing to eat as floodwater had entered their home, making it impossible to cook. Another woman said children were suffering the most as there was neither food nor clean water. Residents also said snakes also enter houses and shelters after the flooding, adding to their fear as they continue to wait for relief and assistance from the administration.Senior BJD leader and former minister Pranab Prakash Das on Friday visited many flood affected villages Under Dhasharathapur & Jajpur Block