Twins Threats Of Mahanadi Flood, Despair For Odisha

Odisha could encounter a low degree of flood within the Mahanadi river basin following heavy downpour within the higher catchment areas and excessive water influx within the Hirakud reservoir, officers stated on Saturday.

The scenario could get exacerbated as one other low-pressure space has fashioned over the northern Bay of Bengal and will intensify right into a melancholy, prompting the Met Workplace to subject a crimson alert of torrential rain in 17 districts.

Water Assets engineer-in-chief Bijay Kumar Mishra stated 4 extra gates of the Hirakud dam in western Odisha’s Sambalpur district had been opened. At the moment, extra water is flowing from 24 gates into the Mahanadi downstream areas of the state, which was battered by heavy rain over the previous few days as a consequence of melancholy.

Mishra stated round 6 lakh cusecs of water will attain Mundali in Cuttack district on Sunday morning and seven lakh cusecs at 8 am on Monday. The water launched from Hirakud usually takes 36 hours to succeed in the realm. The Mahanadi can also be getting extra water from the Tel tributary.

“After contemplating right now’s scenario, we predict that there is usually a small degree of flood within the Mahanadi system if extra water is required to be launched on the premise of the rain scenario in higher catchment areas and Chhattisgarh,” he instructed reporters.

“The Baitarani river crossed the hazard degree of 17.83 at Akhuapada in Bhadrak and we count on it’s going to attain a most of 18.23 m, which is not going to be that a lot of an issue,” Mishra stated.

The Jalaka can also be above the hazard mark of 5.5 m, whereas the water degree within the different rivers can also be rising, however beneath the hazard degree, in accordance with the official.

The division has deputed senior officers to a number of districts, leaves have been cancelled and the coastal division has been directed to be on alert.

Hirakud chief engineer Anand Chandra Sahu stated alleged lack of cooperation from Chhatisgarh because the Kalma barrage authorities weren’t passing data on the discharge of floodwater from their level.

Sahu added that the scenario was being managed at Hirakud on the premise of the info from the Central Water Fee.

“We’re monitoring the scenario around the clock. The influx is excessive and now we have to open extra gates if it will increase,” he stated.

Mishra revealed that the neighbouring state requested Odisha to open extra gates.

“We are going to do it after reviewing the influx, water degree, security of the Hirakud and the flood scenario in decrease catchment areas,” he stated.

On the hazard of flood posed by the low-pressure space, Mishra stated it might be ascertained after checking the standing, reservoir capability and water circulate from the upstream.

The low-pressure space, which fashioned within the morning, is about to maneuver northwestwards, and develop into well-marked throughout the subsequent 12 hours. The system is predicted to pay attention right into a melancholy throughout the subsequent 24 hours, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre stated.

Ullunda in Subarnapur district recorded 106 mm of rain over a 24-hour interval until 8.30 am, adopted by 105 mm at Madanpur Rampur in Kalahandi. Heavy rain lashed Boudh, Ragagada Mayurbhanj, Bolangir and Bargarh. Incessant gentle rain has been occurring in Bhubaneswar since morning.

The Met issued a crimson warning of extraordinarily heavy rain in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Dhenkanal districts until Sunday morning.

Extraordinarily heavy downpour is forecasted for in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Bargarh, Angul, Boudh, Subarnapur, Bolangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi on Sunday. It could result in a big rise in water degree of rivers, flash flood, landslides, inundation of low-lying areas and agricultural fields, in addition to injury to homes and roads.

The climate workplace warned of heavy to very heavy rain in the remainder of the districts until Monday morning.

Fisherfolks have been suggested to not enterprise into the ocean off the coast until Monday as squally climate with wind velocity of 45-65 kmph is predicted over the west-central Bay of Bengal.

(Inputs from PTI)