No threat of flood in Odisha: SRC

The Odisha government on Tuesday said there is no flood threat in the Mahanadi and the Baitarani with floodwater receding in these rivers.

Flood water in Baitarani river which had marginally crossed the danger level at Akhuapada has already receded and flowing below danger level, said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Bishnupada Sethi.

Sethi said there has been a marked decrease in the volume of floodwater discharged through Mundali barrage in Cuttack.

A total of 7.30 lakh cusecs of flood water passed in Mahanadi river at the delta head Mundali on Monday. Now, flood discharge at Mundali has come down to 4.47 lakh cusecs recorded at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, said the SRC.

He said other major rivers are flowing below the danger level.

The season's first flood water from Hirakud dam has been released on Tuesday. Some 15 sluice gates of Hirakud Dam are scheduled to be opened on the day to deplete water level of the reservoir.

The floodwater of the Hirakud Dam would take at least 36 hours to reach Mundali and by then the water level at the barrage would have subsided further, he added.

"Apart from this, nil rainfall in almost all districts in the last 24 hours has immensely contributed to the drastic fall in the water level of all major rivers.

"Hence, the situation is limping back to normalcy. Keeping this in view, we do not foresee a flood in the state as of now," said Sethi.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday reviewed the flood situation in 10 riverside districts of Mahanadi, with senior officials at Sambalpur.

"I just had a review about the rainfall in 10 districts of the northern division. I have instructed the officers that wherever the damages have been done, it should be restored within 24 hours and to keep us updated in Bhubaneswar how the matter progresses," Patnaik told the media.

--IANS

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