Odisha flood: Situation in Hirakud improves; over 2 lakh still marooned

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 12:

With substantial improvement in the flood situation in the Mahanadi river system in Odisha, the Hirakud dam authorities today closed another four gates of the reservoir.

Sources in the dam said the water level of the reservoir was down to 618.91 feet by 3 PM today.

While 2,09,395 lakh cusecs of water was entering into the reservoir, 2,71,367 lakh cusecs was being released from 16 gates.

Briefing the media this afternoon, the Odisha deputy relief commissioner Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra said while the flood situation in major rivers has improved with recession of floodwater at most of the places, water level of Subarnarekha was on the rise at Rajghat.

He, however, said that there is every likelihood that the water level of the river would come down by late evening since there has been no rain either in the upper or lower catchments.

Referring to the flood situation in the state, Mohapatra said 2,02,224 people of 209 villages in seven districts are still marooned.