River embankment collapses in Odisha's Jajpur; villagers evacuated as Baitarani crosses danger mark

Jajpur: A portion of the embankment of the Kani river, a branch of the Baitarani, collapsed at Patana village under Tarpada panchayat in Odisha 's Jajpur district early on Sunday. The embankment collapsed at a location in front of the village as floodwater continued to flow strongly through the river. According to locals, a tree standing along the edge of the embankment was first swept away by the water current during the night. Soon after, the soil began giving way. At around 5 am, another section of the Kani River embankment at Patana collapsed completely. The damaged stretch is around 30 feet long and 15 feet wide. Following the incident, locals and officials of the Water Resources Department started immediate repair work to prevent further damage. However, continuous rainfall since the night has hampered the restoration efforts. Fire Services personnel have started evacuating villagers to a safer location on the Baitarani river embankment. Meanwhile, the Baitarani river was flowing above the danger mark at 7 am. The water level was recorded at 18.38 metres, against the danger mark of 18.33 metres.