5.5 lakh cusec flood water to flow into Mahanadi near Cuttack on Sunday: Odisha govt

Bhubaneswar, Sep 6 (PTI) The Odisha government has said around 5.5 lakh cusec of flood water is likely to flow into the Mahanadi river at Mundali near Cuttack on Sunday, following heavy rainfall in the last few days. The low-pressure induced torrential rainfall for four consecutive days in the upstream and downstream of the Mahanadi has swelled the water level, Engineer-in-Chief of the Water Resources Department, Chandrasekhar Padhi, said.

“We expect that 5.5 lakh cusec flood water will flow into the river near Mundali on Sunday evening. Therefore, the department has intensified patrolling on river embankments of Mahanadi and its tributaries. The district collectors concerned have also been alerted,” he said.

Padhi said the flood water is expected to flow into the river without causing any damage to human habitation. He, however, said some low-lying areas may experience water-logging due to seepage.

Four districts – Cuttack, Kendrapara, Puri and Jagatsinghpur in the Mahanadi delta region – is considered vulnerable to floods, and, all measures are being taken to avoid breach on any river embankment of the Mahanadi or its tributaries, said another official of the department.

He said excess water from the Hirakud Dam is being released through 20 gates, and the water level at the reservoir stands at 626.53 feet against the maximum level of 630 feet.

Padhi said the water level in all other rivers, except Jalaka in Balasore district, remained below the danger mark.

Meanwhile, the IMD said the intensity of rainfall across the state has declined, though light to moderate rain is likely in parts of Odisha till September 10. PTI AAM RBT