No flood threat in Odisha now; flash flood cannot be ruled out: SRC

Though there is no flood threat in Odisha now, the possibility of a flash flood in the State cannot be ruled out, said Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) on Monday.

Speaking to the media after reviewing rain and possible flood situation in Odisha, the SRC said, “There is not much water in the Mahanadi River system. So there is no flood threat as of now, though we are closely monitoring the situation. But if it rains heavily, there might be flash floods in the low-lying areas.”

“As the situation remains grim in Malkangiri, more emphasis is being given to the district. Though the rainfall has subsided it is still on. The rainfall is likely to continue till tomorrow,” Singh added.

Thirty-six villages of six blocks in Koraput district have been affected due to the downpour. We are hopeful that the situation will gradually improve in southern Odisha from tomorrow, the SRC informed.
On the other hand, Chandra Sekhar Padhi, the engineer-in-chief of the Water Resources Department, apprehended a small-scale flood in the State.

“So far, there is no flooding in any river system in the State. But small-scale flood with 5 lakh cusecs of water flow is expected in the tributaries of Mahanadi due to incessant rain,” Padhi said.

Also Read | Heavy Rainfall Alert in Odisha; 18 ODRAF teams Deployed, NDRF teams in 4 Districts

Keeping the situation in view, all the officials have been asked to remain alert. Besides, a 24x7 control room has been set up to monitor the situation, Padhi informed.