Heavy rain triggers fresh flooding in Odisha's Mayurbhanj and Jajpur; schools shut

Rains trigger fresh floods in northern Odisha

Heavy rainfall on Tuesday (September 1) swelled rivers across northern Odisha, inundating villages and urban wards in Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts and forcing the evacuation of more than 2,000 people to relief centres, officials said.

Floodwater entered 84 villages and two urban wards of Baripada town in Mayurbhanj, while 62 villages are affected in Jajpur, Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P Patil said, as reported by ThePrint and Times Now via PTI.

Over 2,000 people have been shifted to relief camps in Mayurbhanj, with 11 camps operational in the district and 22 in Jajpur, where 7,745 people are affected. In Jajpur's Dasarathpur block, 62 villages have been impacted, and the block has been under flood influence for nearly 56 days since the first week of July.

"Floodwater and heavy rain continue to affect people in 146 villages and one urban area in Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts. Immediate priorities have been given to access to cut-off habitations, supply of cooked food and safe drinking water," Patil said.

Rescue teams have been deployed across 147 villages inundated by the Budhabalanga and Baitarani rivers, with 22 teams working in Jajpur, Balasore and Mayurbhanj. Schools in six blocks of Mayurbhanj — Saraskana, Bangiriposi, Bisoi, Kuliana, Badasahi and Betanati — have been ordered closed until the situation improves, with classes to resume once rainfall eases and roads become passable. Parents have been advised to keep children at home and avoid unnecessary travel, according to a district administration notification.

Rivers in spate, warnings issued

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributed the intense rainfall to a well-marked low pressure system that has triggered downpours across northern and western districts. The system is likely to move west-northwestwards across north Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal, the IMD said.

The Jalaka river touched the danger mark of 6.50 metres at Mathani Road Bridge in Balasore's Basta block and is on a rising trend, with around 10 panchayats in Basta and two in Sadar block facing inundation. The Subarnarekha is also rising, adding pressure on northern Balasore. In Bhadrak, the Baitarani river at Akhuapada was flowing at 18.20 metres against the danger level of 18.33 metres, with low-lying areas in Jajpur's Dasarathpur, Bari and Binjharpur blocks and Bhadrak's Bhandaripokhari, Dhamnagar, Chandbali and Tihidi blocks fearing fresh flooding.

The rivers Brahmani, Baitarani, Budhabalanga, Jalaka and Subarnarekha are all in spate, though none had crossed the danger mark by 6 pm Tuesday, according to officials.

The IMD has issued an Orange Warning for Sundergarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar, and forecast heavy rain for Balasore, Deogarh, Angul, Bhadrak, Subarnapur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur.

Jharkhand on alert

A flood warning has been issued for ten districts of Jharkhand — Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Khunti, Saraikela-Kharsawan, West and East Singhbhum, and Simdega — following heavy rains, with a red alert for very heavy rain in Garhwa and Palamu districts.

The Garhwa administration ordered the closure of all schools on September 2 and 3, 2026, with only non-scholastic work to be conducted during the closure; teachers and staff must remain present, Deputy Commissioner Pashupati Nath Mishra said.