Odisha flash floods affect generation at Indravati hydro power station

Weather office warns more rains in next two days

Heavy rainfall in the upper end of Hati river has affected hydro power generation at Indravati power station. As the weather department has warned about more rainfalls in next 48 hours, generation at other stations in south Odisha could get affected too, officials said.

The Odisha Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) has decided to shut operation at Mukhiguda (Indravati) hydro power station due to heavy rain at the upper end of the river. Jaypatna tehsil, which houses the 600 Mw hydro project, received 23 cm rainfall Sunday, the highest, showed data from Bhubaneswar branch of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Reservoir levels at Upper Kolab is currently at 850 meter against highest capacity of 857 meter, at Machkund it is at 2,708 feet compared with full capacity of 2,750 feet and at Indravati the level is at 632 meter, only 10 meter down from top level of 642 meter.

“If it rains continuously for a couple of days and causes flood-like situations, then we might have to halt generation at Kolab (320 Mw) as well. About Machkund, the Andhra Pradesh energy department will take a decision. Generation at other stations will not be hampered,” said an official of OHPC without wishing to be named.

The weather department has predicted more rainfall in these areas in next two days.

“Heavy to very heavy rainfall may occur at one or two places over south interior Odisha and costal Odisha with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places during next 48 hours,” said a warning notice on the local weather office website today.

The flood water is flowing at a height of above five feet over NH-26 at Bhawanipatna and road communication between Bhawanipatna and Nabrangpur has been snapped. As many as five villages of Kalampur block have been marooned in this flash flood.

While the road communication between Junagarh and Dharmagada State Highway has been cut off, the temporary bridge passing through the Junagarh-Kalampur road was washed away, sources said.

The state government has, meanwhile, alerted the district collectors about impending flood in the area.

“All the collectors of the concerned distrcist in south Odisa have been asked to stay alert should some emergency arises. The collector of Kalahandi has been directed to visit Mukhiguda canal and take necessary steps,” said Surya Patro, state revenue and disaster management minister.

Floods in last week had affected as many as 17,000 ha farm fields in four districts of south Odisha.