North Odisha floods: 1.25 lakh people affected; schools closed in 10 districts; situation grim
Severe flooding in north Odisha has affected over 1.25 lakh people, leading to school closures and mass evacuations. Government agencies are currently conducting rescue operations as major rivers continue to flow above danger levels.
Why it matters
The situation highlights the immediate humanitarian impact of extreme weather events and the necessity of coordinated disaster management in flood-prone regions.
“The flood situation in north Odisha remained grim on Wednesday (July 29, 2026), with incessant rain swelling major rivers and inundating villages, affecting more than 1.25 lakh people across five districts,” officials said.
“In view of the situation, schools and anganwadi centres in 10 districts have been ordered to remain closed,” they said.
“The rainfall, triggered by a deep depression, has caused rivers to overflow, with floodwaters entering villages in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts and submerging vast stretches of agricultural land,” they added.
“The Budhabalanga and Jalaka rivers have inundated several villages in Balasore district, while the Baitarani, Budha and Salandi rivers have flooded many areas in Bhadrak and Jajpur districts,” officials said.
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