Flood water receding; overall situation under control, says top Odisha official 

The flood situation in some parts of Odisha appears to be easing, with water levels receding in major rivers such as the Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga, Jalaka, and Baitarani. The Water Resources Department on Tuesday confirmed that the situation is now under control, and no immediate danger is foreseen.

Sagar Mohanty, Engineer in Chief, Water Resources Department (Procurement), confirmed a steady fall in water levels over the last 48 hours. 

“Slowly, the water level is going down. The level near Gobindpur was at 7.28 metres two days ago and has now reduced to 5.2 metres. In Jamchala ghat, it was recorded at 11.56 metres earlier, which has now come down to 10.63 metres. In Jalaka, the water level was at 7.19 metres and has now reduced to 6.48 metres, bringing the flood situation under control,” he said.

“There was some influx of water in the Baitarani river, where the level stands at 18.32 metres. However, the situation is stable and currently poses no threat,” he further added.

According to officials, although the water level near Akhuapada and Jamchala ghat remains close to the danger mark, it is steadily decreasing. In Gobindpur, levels are already below critical thresholds. 

Meanwhile, the authorities are closely watching the Mahanadi and Brahmani basins where further rainfall is expected due to a possible low-pressure formation. 
Despite this, the water-holding capacity at Hirakud remains strong, with the current level at 600 ft. Nine gates at Chandil in Jharkhand have been opened to release excess water, but chief engineers are deployed at critical locations to manage the situation in different parts of Odisha.