Over 50,000 people were affected as a flash flood in the Subarnarekha river caused water to enter their villages in Odisha’s Balasore district on Saturday following heavy rain in neighbouring Jharkhand. 

Around 17 grampanchayat areas in the three blocks of Bhograi, Baliapal, Basta, and a part of Jaleswar Notified Area Council (NAC) were affected by the flash flood. Administration has geared up for the relief and rescue operations.

District Emergency Office sources said that though the water level of Subarnarekha at Rajghat was receding, it still remained at 11.9 metres against the danger mark of 10.36 metres.