Accompanied by Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari and Special Relief Commissioner, the CM reviewed the devastation caused after multiple gates of the Hirakud Dam were opened, sending fresh surges into the Mahanadi and its tributaries.

In Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur, several villages remain marooned, cut off from neighbouring areas. Residents spoke of battling not just rising waters but also the fear of crocodiles and snakes slithering into submerged homes. Jajpur district has been among the worst-hit, with nearly one lakh people affected across 250 villages in 100 panchayats.

Bhadrak offered a mixed picture as receding waters allowed some families to return, rebuild kutcha houses and dry belongings under the sun, though conditions remain precarious elsewhere.

Officials have directed district Collectors to prioritise evacuations, guard vacant homes, and deploy medical teams equipped with anti-venom stocks to prevent snakebite casualties. Damage reports are to be submitted within three days.

With the floodwaters showing no signs of retreat, the state's relief machinery is bracing for a prolonged battle against nature's fury and the dangers lurking beneath.