BALASORE: The Subarnarekha flood has disrupted schooling at a school in Banamali Majhi Harijan Sahi under Bhograi Block of Balasore district, leaving young students with little choice but to attend classes from a single room on the rooftop.
Classes resumed after nearly eight days, but the return to school has not brought normalcy. Three classrooms on the ground floor remain submerged in floodwater, while water has also accumulated in front of the school premises.
With the ground floor unusable, students have been moved to the rooftop, where a single room is currently being used for classes. The limited space has created difficult conditions for children trying to continue their studies while the effects of the flood remain visible around them.
The disruption comes as parts of Balasore have been dealing with flooding linked to the swollen Subarnarekha River. Bhograi has been among the affected areas, with floodwaters inundating villages and disrupting normal movement.
Subarnarekha Flood Leaves School Infrastructure Under Water
The situation at the school highlights how flooding can continue to affect essential services even after classes resume. While students have returned, the submerged classrooms mean the school cannot yet operate under normal conditions.
The three ground-floor classrooms remain inaccessible because of standing floodwater. The waterlogged area in front of the school has also added to the difficulties faced by students and staff.
For young children, shifting lessons to a rooftop room is a significant change from a regular classroom environment. The available space is limited, making it difficult to accommodate students comfortably.
The Subarnarekha has caused extensive flooding across parts of Balasore this month. On August 20, the river reached a peak level of 11.82 metres at Rajghat, above the danger mark of 10.36 metres, according to officials quoted by PTI.
Students Return, but Normal Classes Remain Difficult
The reopening of the school after nearly eight days provides some continuity for students, but the condition of the building means schooling remains far from normal.
The rooftop classroom is currently the only available space for the children at the affected school. As long as the ground floor remains submerged, regular classroom activities cannot fully resume.
The situation also reflects the wider impact of flooding on communities in Bhograi. Officials said around 70,000 people in the block were affected by the Subarnarekha floods during the recent spell.
By August 21, officials said water levels in the Subarnarekha had fallen below the danger mark as the flood situation began to ease. However, falling river levels do not immediately restore flooded buildings, roads and other local infrastructure.
For the students of the school in Banamali Majhi Harijan Sahi, the immediate priority remains continuing education despite the damaged and waterlogged classrooms. Their temporary rooftop classroom allows lessons to continue, but the school will need its regular learning spaces restored before education can return to normal.
The Subarnarekha flood has therefore left more than waterlogged classrooms behind—it has disrupted the everyday learning environment of children in flood-affected Bhograi.
