Odisha anticipates medium flood in Mahanadi system

Bhubaneswar: Anticipating a “medium” flood in the Mahanadi river system following heavy rains for three consecutive days in the State due to a deep depression over Bay of Bengal, Odisha government has deployed NDRF, ODRAF and Fire services personnel in 15 districts likely to be affected by flood.

The administration has estimated that 9.5 lakh cusecs of water will flow at Mundali near Cuttack by Thursday evening, up from 8.28 lakh cusecs at about 12 noon, Water Resources department chief engineer Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty told reporters. Thursday night is crucial for Cuttack, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Puri districts located in the Mahandi delta area, he said.

State Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahu has alerted the collectors of these districts along with those of Angul and Nayagarh to take precautionary measures and guard weak embankments. He has also rushed NDRF, ODRAF and Dire service teams in 15 districts for rescue operations.

"We are anticipating a small to medium range flood in Mahanadi river system as the upper catchment areas near Barmul have received a huge amount of water. By 12 noon of Thursday, around 8.28 lakh cusecs water was flowing and it has been on a rising trend. We expect the volume of flow will increase to 9.5 lakh cusecs by evening. The flood water is likely to reach the districts of Kendrapara, Jagastinghpur and Puri by Friday morning," Mohanty said.

As many as 3,000 people have so far been evacuated to safer places. More people will be shifted from low-lying areas in the districts of the delta region. The SRC has asked the districts' authorities and the Water Resources department to ensure 24×7 patrolling of vulnerable river embankments with the support of the police.

Officials said another 62 Fire and Emergency service teams with boats have also been deployed in Kendrapara (10), Cuttack Sadar (10), Athagarh (8), Jagatsinghpur (9), Khurda (5), Nayagarh (8) and Puri (12) to assist the district administrations.

The Met office said Odisha has received an average of 38 mm of rainfall during the last 24 hours. The State average rainfall recorded from August 1 to August 3 was 147.5 mm against the August monthly average of 356 mm. Kutra block of Sundargarh district received the highest rainfall recorded in of 195.4 mm in the last 24 hours. The weather office sources said the volume of rainfall is likely to decline by Thursday evening as the deep depression weakens into a low pressure and moves away from the State. The authorities have asked the people not to visit certain temples in Badamba area in Cuttack district and have clamped Section 144 Cr PC at Singhanatha Temple and Maa Bhattarika Pitha in view of heavy flow of water in Mahanadi river.

Water Resources department officials said the water level is also rising in rivers across Odisha, other than Mahanadi due to the incessant rains during the past two days. Baitarani, Bansadhara, Nagabali and Jalaka rivers have crossed their danger marks at several places.

Salandi river is swelling, while Baitarani is flowing at 19.88 metres against the danger level of 17.83 metres at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district. In Jajpur district, Baitarani's tributary Budha river has also been flowing much above the danger mark leading to inundation of some low-lying villages of two blocks. Bhandaripokhari has been completely cut-off from Jajpur, about 20 km away, as flood waters have inundated the road.

Batarani river is flowing above the danger mark at Anandpur in Keonjhar district, as is Bansadhara near Kashinagar, creating a flood-like situation in the area. The SRC has rushed eight National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 13 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and 23 Fire service teams to Bhadrak, Jajpur, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Balasore, Cuttack, Puri, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada districts for rescue operations. One person was killed and six others were injured in separate wall collapse incidents. A report from Keonjhar district said an old woman died as the wall of her dwelling unit collapsed at Ghuntupani village under Jhumpura block. As many as 206 houses have collapsed due to heavy downpour in Keonjhar district, an official at the district emergency cell said.