Floods Recede in Balasore, But Farmers Face Grim Aftermath Byline

June 25, (OT Webdesk)As the murky waters of the Subarnarekha River recede from Odisha’s Balasore district, the fallout from the five-day deluge is becoming heartbreakingly visible.

In Aaruhabruti village under Bhograi block, hope is buried under silt and wilted crops.

Once-thriving fields of paddy, jute, and vegetables now lie in ruins. Paddy nurseries intended for the next crop cycle were washed away.

Jute—a critical cash crop for local farmers—has been uprooted, and horticultural crops are lost to decay. The air is thick with the stench of rotting vegetation and anxiety.

Already grappling with debt and rising input costs, the farming community is in distress. Many fear the economic loss may jeopardise preparations for the upcoming sowing season. “We’ve lost everything,” one farmer shared.

“If help doesn’t come soon, we don’t know how we’ll survive.”

Preliminary damage surveys have begun, but a comprehensive assessment is still pending.

Farmers are urging the district administration to expedite relief measures.

The incident amplifies growing concerns about climate-induced extreme weather threatening Odisha’s agrarian backbone.

What lingers in Balasore is not just the floodwater’s trail, but a deepening uncertainty about the future.