Bhubaneswar/Boudh: Although rain has stopped in several parts of the state, thousands of villagers living alongside Mahanadi and Tel rivers are in a state of panic as water level in both the rivers has been rising following incessant rain triggered by a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal, reports said.
The swelling rivers have sparked fear of flood in the districts of Jajpur, Kendrapara, Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Boudh. The Special Relief Commissioner has alerted Collectors of these districts to open control rooms and remain vigilant round the clock.
Meanwhile, many villages have been cut off as bridges and roads have been washed away in several areas of these districts. Locals are forced to seek shelter in schools and flood shelter homes.
A bridge was washed away in Chandigada village under Boudh block due to sudden inflow of floodwater. Vehicular movement came to an abrupt end with floodwater flowing five feet above a diversion road near Ranipathar on the Boudh-Kandhamal Road.
In Boudh, 380 mm of rainfall has been recorded in the past 24 hours. People in many parts of Sambalpur district are in distress due to flash floods as Burla received record rainfall Sunday. The rising water level in Hirakud Dam has become another cause of worry for the people.
Due to excess flow of floodwater from the upper catchment areas into the reservoir, the dam is brimming. As per reports, 1.77 lakh cusecs of water is entering the Hirakud dam at present. While the dam’s maximum water level is 630 feet, it was 615.43 feet at 8 am Monday.
Sources said water level in Mahanadi is expected to rise further as flood water from the dam will be released Tuesday.
Meanwhile, ODRAF and fire tender teams are busy supplying food and rescuing people from submerged villages in parts of Sambalpur district. On the other hand, water level of Baitarani near Akhuapada has touched the danger mark of 58.5 ft.
PNN
