Bhubaneswar: The flood situation in north Odisha eased on Friday with Subarnarekha river receding below the danger mark, but several low-lying villages in Balasore district remained marooned as floodwater disrupted road connectivity.Officials said the river, which had flowed above the danger level till Thursday evening, fell to 9.6 metres against the danger mark of 10.36m on Friday, but villages in Bhogarai and Baliapal blocks continued to face inundation, with floodwater entering houses and grain stores. “Our house is still surrounded by water. The mud wall of kitchen has developed cracks. The water level has gone down a little, but we cannot step out without wading through waist-deep water,” said Madhusudan Das, a resident of Baliapal.Residents said submerged tube wells had triggered a drinking water crisis in some pockets, forcing families to depend on limited supplies from neighbours on higher ground. “We are worried about diarrhoea and jaundice. Children are drinking whatever is available because clean water is hard to get,” said Sasmita Behera of a marooned village in Bhogarai.Meanwhile, floodwater has cut off communication between several villages and roads leading to nearby towns and markets. Local people said movement of elderly residents and patients had become difficult, while daily wagers were unable to go to work. “We face difficulties relieving ourselves as floodwater entered toilets. We use boats to go outside,” said a villager from Baliapal locality.A revenue and disaster management department official said the overall flood situation in north Odisha rivers had improved and that the situation in Balasore was expected to ease further if rainfall remained subdued. “The Subarnarekha is receding, and there is no immediate threat of a fresh rise. Officials are monitoring affected villages and assistance is being provided where required,” the official said.The India Meteorological Department office in Bhubaneswar said most parts of Odisha are likely to receive light to moderate rain or thundershowers at one or two places over the next four days. Isolated heavy rain is likely in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar on Sept 9 and in Sundargarh the next day.