Bhubaneswar, July 27: Authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation in Rourkela, where several low-lying areas were inundated following a sudden rise in the water levels of Koel and Brahmani rivers.

The situation has worsened with heavy rain lashing the city over the past few days.

With the Koel swelling as a result of heavy rainfall in its catchment area, part of which falls in Jharkhand, water entered parts of Hamirpur, Sector-16 and Luhakera village last night. Five badly affected families were evacuated from these areas with the help of local people.

The Brahmani, too, was flowing above the danger level at Vedvyas with water rushing into low-lying areas such as Dandiaplli, Balughat, Ruptola, Palpulbasti and Lathikata. Evacuation was also carried out in this belt from the danger-prone areas with Rourkela additional district magistrate Manisha Banarjee supervising the operation. Leaves of government officials have been cancelled in view of the flood situation.

Banerjee said the administration was prepared to carry out evacuations where necessary. She also said that special camps had been opened for the affected persons at Balughat and Dandiapalli. "We are serving them food and are ready to accommodate more persons if the situation worsens," she said.

In another development, 11 gates of the Mandira dam over the Shankh river were opened as the water level rose. This has triggered fears of flooding in downstream areas such as Bonai and Lahunipara. Bonai sub-collector Swadha Dev Singh said: "We are keeping a close watch on the situation. So far, there is no news of any casualty or any village getting submerged."

The administration is also keeping tabs on the situation in Sundargarh with the Ib river swelling and its waters entering some low-lying areas.

The flood situation in north Balasore appeared set to worsen with the Subarnarekha flowing much above the danger level following excess discharge of water through the Galudi dam of Jharkhand. The water level of Subarnarekha was recorded at 11.25 metres at Rajghat in Balasore district against the danger level of 10.36 metres. The river showed a rising trend with the water level likely to touch the 11.5 metre mark.

Officials of Baliapal, Basta, Bhograi and Jaleswar blocks were on high alert with one team each of the National Disaster Response Force and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force being deployed at Baliapal and Bhograi.

Sources said around 1.5 lakh people at 150 villages of 30 gram panchayats in these four blocks had been affected by floods. District emergency officer Dinesh Nayak said the situation was being closely monitored, but no evacuation had been carried out yet.

Sources said road communication in certain parts of north Balasore had been affected with floodwaters overflowing on to roads at some places. Large tracts of farmland have also been submerged. "At certain seaside villages, water has entered human habitations, but we have not felt the need to evacuate people so far," said Baliapal block development officer Minati Jagdeo.