Flood situation in Mahanadi under control, claims Odisha govt

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 6:

The Odisha government today claimed that the current flood situation in the Mahanadi river system is in control.

File pic of swelling Mahanadi river
File pic of swelling Mahanadi river

“We have taken all possible measures to tackle the situation. Till now, there has been no breach in the embankments of the river that have been kept under close watch”, Special Relief Commissioner PK Mohapatra told reporters after an emergency review meeting presided over by chief minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat here.

He, however, said the low lying areas of Kanas and Gop area in the delta of Mahanadi are most likely to be badly affected by the floodwater.

“Besides, most of parts of Bari and Dasarathpur in Jajpur district and Dhamnagar in Bhadrak district would also be badly affected by the floodwater of Baitarani”, he added.

The SRC said the government has apprised the Union Home ministry of the situation and about the need for a few helicopters for rescue and relief operations,

The chief engineer Biswajit Mohanty informed that at present 40 sluice gates of Hirakud Dam have been kept open and there is a plan to open another five gates in phases.

At present while inflow into Hirakud Dam remained 7, 20,000 cusec, the discharge from the dam was presently 6, 70,000 cusec, he said, adding, the water level at the dam is presently 628.10 ft while the optimum level of the dam is 630 ft. With rains receding in upstream Chhattisgarh there is likelihood of improvement in the situation , he said.

At the meeting, the SRC and principal secretary, Water Resources, Suresh Mohaptra apprised the meeting of the current status of Mahanadi and Baitarani rivers and the likely consequences.

The meeting was also informed that the inflow of Mahanadi floodwater at Mundali barrage at Naraj would be around 11.5 lakh cusecs by midnight today.

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