Odisha: Over 1 lakh flood-affected people evacuated; coastal districts on alert as Mahanadi in spate

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has shifted around 1.4 lakh people to safer locations over the past four days, as a fresh wave of flood affected several districts, officials said on Monday.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the government has evacuated 1.4 lakh people from low-lying areas across 7,834 villages under 1,360 gram panchayats. In addition, 219 wards in 38 urban local bodies (ULBs) have also been affected.

Officials said river Mahanadi also experienced a “minor flood” that crisscrossed the densely populated coastal districts, after release of excess water from the Hirakud Dam.

Water Resources Department engineer-in-chief Dilip Kumar Rout said a “minor flood” in river Mahanadi takes place when around 8 lakh cusecs of water flows at the Mundali gauge station near Cuttack. “The flow of over 10 lakh cusecs at Mundali is considered a major flood in the Mahanadi,” he said.

Rout said the district administrations of Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara have been alerted, as the swelling water level could inundate several villages in the Mahanadi delta region.

Lakhs of people in the northern districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Mayurbhanj have already been reeling under the deluge, due to flooding in Subarnarekha, Budhabalang, Jalaka, Baitarani, Salandi and their tributaries, the officials said.

The minister, however, said the government expects the situation to improve within the next 24 hours, as water levels in several rivers have started to recede.

Commenting on the worst-hit Balasore district, Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas said: “Over 3.5 lakh people in 11 blocks have been impacted by the floods in river Subarnarekha, Budhabalang and Jalaka rivers. More than 67,000 people have been evacuated from Bhograi, Jaleswar, Baliapal, Balasore, Remuna, Nilagiri and Sora blocks.”

Rout said rivers in northern Odisha, including the Subarnarekha, were flowing below the danger mark.

Though the water level receded in rivers, “about three-foot flood water” was recorded in several villages of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts, prompting the state government to intensify relief operations, he said.

“We expect that peak flooding (in the Mahanadi) will take place on Monday night with the water level rising to 8 lakh cusecs at Mundali,” Rout said.

He said the flood water is being discharged through 30 sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam.

Pujari said a total of 64 response teams have been deployed in the affected areas.

The minister said the district administrations have been instructed to take immediate action regarding localised flooding, waterlogging on roads, and the closure of urban underpasses if necessary.

Directives have also been issued to officials concerned to remain alert to landslides, and damage to horticultural produce and standing crops in the waterlogged areas, he added.