Cuttack: While incessant rain in the upper catchment areas has forced Hirakud dam authorities to open 46 sluice gates, flood threat in Mahanadi River system looms large now leaving nearby residents worried.
This morning, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena stated that the inflow into Hirakud reservoir has increased by more than 1 lakh cusec and the water level is rising by 8 cm every hour.
While over 8.9 lakh cusec water is entering the Hirakud reservoir, more than 7.2 lakh cusecs of water is being discharged through 44 of the 64 sluice gates of the dam. The water level at Hirakud Dam stood at 626.37 ft as against the full reservoir level of 630 ft.
Till last reports came in, over 8.95 cusecs of water is flowing in Mundali which is likely to go up to 10 lakh cusec by Saturday evening, sources said.
With Hirakud releasing excess flood water, 10 to 10.5 lakh cusec of water is likely to flow through Mundali on Saturday and it may lead to a medium-level flood in the Mahanadi delta region, the SRC had said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Collectors of all the districts in the Mahanadi belt have been alerted to oversee possible flood situation, the SRC said adding that, additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Response Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services have been mobilised in the areas likely to be affected.
Meanwhile, one of the iconic Shakti Peeths in Odisha, the temple of Maa Bhattarika in Baramba of Cuttack submerged after floodwater from Mahanadi river entered the shrine as a result of heavy rains.
Sources said, the idol of the Goddess was relocated to a safer place atop the hilltop situated adjacent to the shrine after floodwater gushed into the sanctum sanctorum and flowed at a height of 8 ft inside the temple.
Similarly, 10 villages under Khordha block were marooned after flood water from Mahanadi River entered the area. Vehicular movement on many routes have been affected as flood water is flowing 4-5 ft above the roads.
Khordha district Collector Sanat Kumar Mohanty visited the affected areas and urged people to shift to shelter homes. “We have appealed the locals to shift to shelter homes. Once the water subsides, they will be allowed to go to their homes. All arrangements are in place, while cooked food will be provide to those at the shelter homes,” Mohanty said.
On the other hand, residents of 30 villages under Bhogarai block fear flash-floods after sluice gates in Subarnrekha River got damaged due to rise in water level.
Flood water has started entering the villages as three sluice gates at Uluda village under Nachinda panchayat broke after the river swelled, villagers said.
Getting information, the district Water Resources department officials visited the spot to take stock of the situation.
(Edited By Devbrat Patnaik)
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