Severe to above normal flood situation will re-visit Odisha in the next 48-72 hours. Many blocks in northern and southern regions of the State are likely to be affected.
As per data available with the Central Water Commission (CWC), Basta and Jaleswar blocks in the Balasore district will record severe flood situations in the next 48 hours.
Rage Of Subarnarekha
With the Jalaka river in Balasore already flowing above the danger level, the Subarnarekha river will be in spate in the coming 48 hours. As per the forecast, while heavy rainfall in the range of 4-13mm/hr is likely today in the downstream of the river basin, 6-14mm/hr rainfall has also been predicted upstream in Jharkhand.
Since the water level currently in the Subarnarkha river at Rajghat is measured at around 7.5mt, the CWC prediction shows the water nearing the danger level of 10.36mt by the evening hours on September 30 (Thursday). As a consequence, severe flood is predicted for around 2-3 Blocks in the Balasore district.
With no forecast of heavy rainfall in the Subarnrekha basin during the coming 72 hours, the flood scenario will return to normal in the Balasore district only by around October 2.
Similarly, the water level in the Jalaka river that has come down to 5.6mt, after flowing above the danger mark for nearly a week, is predicted to rise from midnight today. The water level in the river will again overshoot the danger mark to touch nearly 6mt in next 24 hours.
Following the overflowing rivers, at least 3 Blocks in the Balasore district - Basta, Jaleswar and Bhograi - will be recording severe to above normal flood situation till October 2.
Cyclone Gulab Impact
Tracking the predicted line of forecast, while crossing over Odisha, Cyclone Gulab rained heavily in the southern districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and Gajapati.
The water reflection of the impact is visible by the rising water level in Vamsadhara river basin in Rayagada district. While CWC has predicted an above normal flood scenario in Gunupur in the next 72 hours, data shows the water level in the Vamsadhara river will breach the warning level of 83 mt by the morning hours on Thursday.
The inflow to Gotta barrage at Kasinagar will rise to 135 million cubic meter per 24 hours by October 1.
As per the CWC forecast, the flood situation will normalise after October 2 in the Rayagada district.
Gulab's Power Play
As the tropical cyclone Gulab drenched the districts of Koraput and Malakangiri quite well, the outcome has been good on the reservoir status in the region.
While inflow to the Upper Kolab reservoir will rise from below 50 cubic meter per second on September 26 to a massive around 700 cumesec in the next 24 hours, the inflow in Machkund reservoir will touch nearly 58 cubic meter per second by Sept 29 from around 24 cumesec today.
Similarly, the inflow in Balimela reservoir will shoot up to around 300 cumesec in next 24 hours from around 175 cumesec today.
The inflow will push the very low live storage capacity of the reservoirs filled up as on today. The filled up capacity at present hovers between 31 - 42 per cent. Situation in upper Kolab, prior to Cyclone Gulab landfall had been worst during the last 10-years - only 31 percent of live storage capacity was utilised.