Over 100 villages in Odisha affected by floods

Over 100 villages have been affected by the deluge in Odisha. The flood situation has improved in Sundergarh district as the water level in the Brahmani and Ib rivers has receded.
Twenty more villages came under the grip of floods in Angul and Dhenkanal districts. 63 villages are under water in the Bhograi block and 20 in the Balaipal block of Balasore district, an administration official said.
Th Brahmani and Ib rivers were flowing below the danger level mark. The water level in the Koel river near Rourkela has also receded.
Out of 1,600 people evacuated from Sundergarh district, 1,405 people have returned to their homes, while 195 are putting up in three shelters. Free kitchens have been arranged for them, special relief commissioner's office sources said.

As the flood water is being released from the Rengali Dam, a fear of a moderate flood has arisen in the downstream districts.
"As many as 18 villages in the Kaniha block of Angul district and two villages in the Gondia block of Dhenkanal have been affected by floods in the Brahmani river," said Special Relief Commissioner B P Sethi.

He said four persons have died in two spells of floods in the state.
The water level of the Brahmani river at Jenapur and the Kharasrota river at Binjharpur in Jajpur district is slowly rising.
The Bari and Binjharpur blocks of Jajpur district and the Rajnagar block of Kendrapada are likely to be affected, the SRC said.

The district administration of Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Kendrapada are prepared to meet the situation, he said, adding that an ODRAF team each in Bari and Binjharpur blocks of Jajpur and Rajnagar block of Kendrapada have been deployed for search and rescue operation, if required. More teams shall be deployed if needed, he said.
The water level of the Subarnrekha river is receding at Rajghat since 6 am today. So the situation in Balasore is expected to be normal soon, the SRC said.
Meanwhile, the authorities of the Hirakud reservoir opened 12 sluice gates where 2,04,388 cusecs of water is being released against an inflow of 1,70,367 cusecs to the reservoir.

The water level at 6 pm was 609.17 feet as against the full reservoir level of 630 feet, water resources department sources said.