Odisha School Holiday: Floods and Heavy Rain Force Closures in Jajpur and Sundargarh

In view of continuous rainfall and flood-like conditions in several areas of Odisha, a decision has been made to keep schools closed to ensure student safety. Separate orders have been issued by the district administrations of Jajpur and Sundargarh. An office order issued by the Jajpur District Education Officer on August 18, 2026, notes that flood and waterlogging conditions persist in several parts of the district. Furthermore, considering the forecast of rain, classes in schools across four blocks of the district will remain suspended on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, to ensure student safety. These four blocks are Bari, Binjharpur, Dharmasala, and Jajpur.

According to the order, classes in all government, government-aided, and private schools across these four blocks will remain suspended on August 19. This applies to primary, secondary, and higher secondary level schools, as well as OAVs (Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas) and OMAVs.

Classes Suspended in Flood-Affected Schools

Regarding other blocks in Jajpur district, the order states that classes will be suspended only in schools affected by the floods; other schools will operate normally. The District Education Officer’s office has also released a list of the affected schools.

Schools Affected by Floods and Persistent Waterlogging

The released list identifies several schools in the Dharmasala block as being affected by floods and persistent waterlogging. These include Alok Project UP School (Sanraipada), Jagulai GPT High School (Kotapur), Dihanarsinghpur PS, Sankha PPS, Pipiladihi PPS, Bhagabanpur UGME, Budhijagulai High School (Kadampal), Parikhitaswain UPS, Panchayat High School (Areikana), Hamjapur PPS, Bankasahi PS, Jayamangal Nodal UPS, Basudevpur PS, Nalakul PPS, Alarpur PS, and Sarda Sanskrit Vidyalaya.

School Closures Announced

The list for Barachana Block includes Patrajpur Singhsahi PS, Government UGHS Barpada, Banamalipur UGME, Kula Chandia UGUP, Sitaram Girls’ High School, Osilapal PS, Gajendrapur Nodal UPS, Kalpanadevi Vidyaniketan, South Gopalpur Pry, Kalashree UGME School, Bahadurnagar UGUP School, Jharkul UGUP School, Madrasa Islamia Chatabar, Madrasa Ilmo Molha, and Madrasa Takhte Sulemania.

Affected schools in Korei Block include Sanabiruan Government UPS, Telia Government UPS, Barei Government UPS, Kankeswar Government UPS, Maa Chatakuma High School, and Government UPS Karada.

Meanwhile, in Rasulpur Block, Faridabad Government UPS, Chandimata Government UPS, GPD High School, Kamarpal PS, Bhagabati Pry UPS, Bantara PS, and Kharasrota Government UPS have been included in the list of affected schools.

The District Education Officer’s order also specifies that while classes have been suspended, the school premises themselves will not remain shut; they will be kept available for rescue and rehabilitation purposes if the need arises.

Decision Taken Due to Inclement Weather

Separately, in Sundargarh district, an order has been issued to keep all educational institutions closed on August 19, 2026, in view of continuous rainfall and adverse weather conditions.

An office order issued by the Sundargarh District Education Officer on August 18 notes the ongoing rainfall and prevailing adverse weather in the district. This decision has been taken with the safety of students in mind.

Institutions Like KVS, JNV, OAV, and EMRS Also Closed

According to the order, all educational institutions—whether government, government-aided, or private—will remain closed on August 19. This applies to institutions at the primary, secondary, and higher secondary levels, as well as institutions such as KVS, JNV, OAV, and EMRS. An order issued by the Sundargarh district administration clarifies that this decision was taken specifically in view of the continuous rainfall, inclement weather, and the safety of students.

Administration Prioritizes Student Safety

The orders issued for Jajpur and Sundargarh make it evident that the administration is prioritizing student safety amidst continuous rain, flooding, and waterlogging. In Jajpur, classes have been suspended in all schools across four blocks, whereas in other areas, classes will remain closed only in specific flood-affected schools. Meanwhile, an order has been issued to keep all educational institutions in Sundargarh district closed on August 19.