Odisha reels under monsoon rains, 3 killed in Chhatisgarh

Odisha is confronting a grave flood emergency as incessant monsoon rains continue to swell major rivers across the State. The Baitarani has crossed the danger level, while the Mahanadi is also witnessing a steady rise, heightening concerns in vulnerable districts. The IMD has issued Red Alert for Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh and Jharsuguda districts  and Orange Alert for thirteen others, with emergency response forces deployed in sensitive locations.  

#WATCH | Balasore, Odisha: Severe wayterlogging witnessed in Balasore due to heavy rainfall in the district. Flooding in low-lying areas caused traffic disruptions. pic.twitter.com/PO5Kjiqhkg

— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2026

National Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed in the Red Alert districts to undertake rescue and emergency preparedness measures. The Salandi River has also crossed the danger level at Rajghat in Bhadrak district. As a precautionary measure, all schools in Bhadrak and Jajpur district will remain closed tomorrow, while rail services have been disrupted in certain stretches owing to waterlogging and adverse weather conditions. The State Government has assured that the situation is under constant surveillance and all necessary precautionary measures are in place. 
According to the Special Relief Commissioner’s situation report, 1,06,012 people have been affected in Balasore, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj districts. Balasore has been the worst-hit with 81,964 affected people, followed by 18,433 in Jajpur, 5,500 in Bhadrak and 115 in Mayurbhanj. More than 23,650 people have been evacuated to safer places, including 10,672 in Balasore, 12,191 in Jajpur, 780 in Bhadrak and eight in Mayurbhanj.
In Chhattisgarh, three people were killed and several others injured after lightning struck in separate incidents in Khadgawan development block of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district  on Tuesday amid continuous rainfall. According to Block Medical Officer Dr Manish, two people died on the spot after lightning struck Shivpur village, while another person was killed in Mangora Gram Panchayat. In all, eight people were struck by lightning, of whom three died and five sustained burn injuries.