Bhubaneswar: The flow of flood water at Mundali in Mahanadi river is likely to reach its peak by this evening, said Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty, engineer-in-chief, Water Resources Department.

"Mahanadi river at Mundali is likely to experience 9 to 9.5 lakh cusec of flood water flow by the evening of today. It will be the peak time, for which tonight is crucial. The flood water will reach Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Puri districts tomorrow. Low-lying areas of these 3 districts are under focus," he said.

There are chances of small to medium scale flood in Mahanadi system, he added.

The Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has asked the Collectors of Angul, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts to take precautionary measures and keep watch on weak embankments.

Incessant rainfall in the upper catchment areas during the last couple of days has led to rise in water level in various rivers of the state, thereby posing flood threat in low-lying areas.

As many as 8 NDRF teams, 13 ODRAF teams and 23 Fire Services teams have been deployed in 15 districts– Bhadrak, Jajpur, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Sonepur, Boudh, Kandhamal, Balasore, Cuttack, Puri, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada– for search and rescue operations.

At a meeting held yesterday, the SRC had directed the Collectors to take adequate measures and keep all field-level functionaries at strategic locations to meet any eventuality.

It was decided at the meeting that people from waterlogged areas will be evacuated, if required, and sheltered in safe places. They shall be provided with food and drinking water.