Hundreds marooned in Boudh as Mahanadi basin floods, vegetables & paddy crops damaged in Cuttack

Hundreds of people were marooned with around 15 villages in Boudh district getting inundated in overflowing water as Mahanadi river basin flooded on Sunday following relentless rain in the upper catchment areas for the last few days.

As per reports, water is flowing four feet above Jagannath Sadak connecting various areas of Harbhanga block in the district. As a result, road communication has been snapped to Harbhanga, Khandidhalapur, Ramgarh, Hatagaon and Atalasara areas. Marada village under Kushanga Gram Panchayat has been inundated due to overflowing flood water in Udandi canal.

“We are completely helpless now. We can’t even celebrate Nuakhai due to the given circumstances. Several acres of lands have been inundated and our crops have been completely destroyed. We are staring at a bleak future,” said Jagannath Behera, a resident of Mohanpur in Boudh.

Boudh district administration claimed to be fully alert in view of the possible flood situation. People living in low-lying areas have been evacuated safely. Dry food has been provided to the flood affected people.

“We have evacuated people living in the low-lying areas and provided them dry food. A meeting has been held with the district and block authorities to be fully prepared to meet any kind of eventualities arising out of the possible flood situation,” said Boudh Collector Nursingha Charan Sahu.

Meanwhile, more than six lakh cusecs water is currently flowing in Mahanadi through Banki. As a result, Huluhula river, one of the tributaries of Mahanadi, is overflowing. Flood water is flowing three feet above the bridge on the river. As many as five panchayats under Banki block have been inundated with flood water.

Moreover, vegetable and paddy crops in several acres of land have suffered extensive damage in Badamba and Athgarh areas of the district. Farmers in the area are in distress and staring at a bleak future. 

As the breach in the river embankment at Champabandha has not been repaired yet, flood water is gushing through the breach and Dhurusia Panhayat under Athagarh block has been completely inundated with flood water.

However, Water Resource Department Engineer-in-Chief, Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty said that there is no flood threat in Mahanadi now.

“Currently, 6,30,000 cusec of water is flowing through Mundali. Water level at Hirakud reservoir has become constant and excess water is being released through 26 gates. So, there is no flood threat in Mahanadi now,” said Mohanty.