Heavy overnight rainfall has left large parts of Bhubaneswar submerged, exposing the city’s fragile drainage system and disrupting daily life.
Rainfall Data:
The downpour, which began late Wednesday, continued into Thursday morning, inundating homes, roads, and low‑lying colonies. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the capital city recorded nearly 110 mm of rainfall in just 12 hours. Among the worst‑hit localities were Madhusudan Nagar with 107 mm, Nayapalli with 97.2 mm, Jagmohan Nagar with 90.4 mm, and Saheed Nagar with 83.2 mm.
Flooded Areas:
Most affected areas included Palasuni Overbridge, Bhaktamadhu Nagar, Tamando, Puri Bypass Road, Baragada, SR Valley, Bomikhal Canal Basti, Phuleswari Basti, and the premises of Mothers Public School.
Flooded Homes and Rescue Efforts:
In Shantipalli Basti of Saheed Nagar, knee‑deep water entered homes, damaging furniture and belongings, while residents expressed panic over snake sightings in the flooded lanes. In Alasua village, fire services personnel rescued half a dozen residents after an overflowing canal inundated the ground floor of an apartment. More than 15 families trapped in Daruthenga and Alasua were also rescued by the Chandrasekharpur Fire Service team using boats and life jackets.
Ward 18 Corporator Biplab Behera confirmed that all evacuated families are being provided with cooked food and essential facilities at the shelter. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), in coordination with ODRAF teams, has taken charge of relief measures, including food supply, drinking water, and drainage clearance.
Civic Response
Mayor Sulochana Das, along with local corporators, visited the affected wards to assess the situation. Officials were directed to clear blockages and strengthen vulnerable stretches with sandbags, while pumps were deployed to drain water from colonies and restore road connectivity.
IMD Forecast
The regional meteorological office attributed the heavy showers to two active cyclonic circulations over the Bay of Bengal and Gangetic West Bengal. It has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in districts such as Mayurbhanj, Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Sundaragada, and Ganjam, though rainfall intensity is expected to ease from Saturday.
