Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Odisha Floods: Over 95,000 Evacuated as Six Districts Remain Grim
Very heavy rain caused rivers in the Indian state of Odisha to overflow.
The floodwater spread into villages across six districts, affecting around 2.70 lakh people.
To keep people safe, the government moved more than 95,000 of them to special shelters called relief camps.
At the camps, people got cooked food, clean drinking water, lights, and medical care.
Extra care was given to children, pregnant women, elderly people, and people with disabilities.
Some rivers started going down a little, but they were still very close to dangerous levels.
The Subarnarekha river rose above its danger mark, so officials kept a close watch on 331 villages.
In Keonjhar, heavy rain caused rocks and soil to slide onto National Highway-49, blocking the road.
Weather officials said a new rain system may form over the Bay of Bengal, and fishermen were told to stay out of the sea for safety.
Heavy rains from a depression flooded six Odisha districts: Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Kendrapara.
A total of 95,206 people were moved to 226 relief camps with cooked food, safe drinking water, sanitation, lighting and medical care.
Around 2.70 lakh people in 503 villages across 52 blocks were affected by the flooding.
The Subarnarekha river crossed its danger mark at Rajghat in Jaleswar, with 331 villages under close monitoring.
A landslide blocked National Highway-49 at Kanjipani Ghat in Keonjhar, and the IMD warned a fresh low-pressure area may form over the north Bay of Bengal.
- Who
- The Odisha government, with Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari coordinating, is leading rescue and relief for residents of the flood-hit districts.
- What
- Heavy rain from a depression caused river flooding that forced the evacuation of over 95,000 people across six districts.
- When
- Saturday, August 15, after heavy rain battered the state over the past 24 hours.
- Where
- Six districts of Odisha, India — Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Kendrapara — along the Baitarani, Brahmani, Jalaka, Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha rivers.
- Why
- A depression triggered heavy rains that pushed rivers above or near danger marks, threatening low-lying villages and prompting precautionary evacuations.
- People evacuated
- 95,206 to 226 relief camps
- Affected population
- Around 2.70 lakh people in 503 villages
- Affected districts
- Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Kendrapara
- Affected rivers
- Baitarani, Brahmani, Jalaka, Budhabalanga, Subarnarekha
- Response teams deployed
- 118
- Subarnarekha river level
- 10.48 metres at noon; danger mark 10.36 metres at Rajghat, Jaleswar
- Villages monitored
- 331 villages in 80 gram panchayats of Jaleswar and Baliapal blocks
