The Brahmani river in spate near Alava village in Kendrapara district. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, Sept. 24: The Brahmani river is in spate and the Orissa forest department has sounded a fresh alert of possible crocodile attacks in the riverside villages. The rise in water level has, in turn, brought about a rise in the crocodile menace. Reptiles are on the prowl in flooded villages.

There was high possibility of attack by estuarine crocodiles in flooded villages under Rajnagar tehsil. Therefore, residents were required to remain extra-cautious while venturing into water bodies, said officials.

The Bhitarkanika river system, which is home to about 2,000 estuarine crocodiles, is linked to the Brahmani river. Thus, there is every possibility that flooded river would lead the reptiles into newer areas.

”Departmental alert has been sounded in Gobindapur, Belapala, Nagada, Santhapada, Bandhapada, Ostia, Balisahipatana, Rajnagar, Mahulia, Iswarpur and Chandibausamula gram panchayats that has come under partial flooding of Brahmani river water,” said Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, divisional forest officer, Rajnagar mangrove (forest) division.

”As the river is in spate, there are reports of crocodiles straying into waterbodies in and around the places of human habitations. Thus, attacks may not be ruled out. We have warned residents not to venture into flooded river and adjoining waterbodies,” said DFO Mahapatra.

Panic, however, has gripped more than a dozen riverside villages under Rajnagar tehsil following official reports of straying saltwater crocodiles from the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary’s waterbodies to the connecting river system.

Officials of Rajnagar forest division confirmed intrusion of estuarine crocodiles into the rivulets and creeks and added that alert has been sounded asking the villagers not to plunge into specific waterbodies as a precautionary step.

At least three six-ft-long crocodiles have so far been sighted though these reptiles have caused no harm either to humans or the animals. As the residents were exposed to possible attack, the local sarpanchs and gram panchayat representatives have been instructed to alert the villagers, forest department sources said. Similarly, at least five gram panchayats of Rajkanika and Aul block have been identified as zones highly susceptible to crocodile attack.

The crocodiles stray in search of food and would leave the place for their original habitat within a few days as per their natural instinct, wildlife personnel said.