The Hindu, Spet 18, 2008
BHUBANESWAR: Apprehending a devastating flood in the Mahanadi river system, the State Government on Thursday asked various wings of the administration to remain alert to the situation.
Emerging from a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take stock of the situation at the Secretariat, Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy said the coming flood could be worse than the one that had taken place in 2001.
In 2001, about 14 lakh cusecs of water was passing through Mundali. However, water resource department sources said this time water discharge from the same site would cross 15 lakh cusecs.
Six persons were killed when heavy rain lashed many parts of the State during last 72 hours under the influence of deep depression. One girl could not be rescued in Sambalpur when a two-storeyed building collapsed. As many as 10 persons were said to be missing in Sonepur, Bolangir and Mayurbhanj districts.
Hirakud level
Water level at the Hirakud reservoir has risen to 629.97 ft against its capacity of 630 ft. To manage the emergency situations about 22 gates had been opened. While inflow of water into reservoir was measured to be 4,00,020 cusecs, its outflow was 3,59,758 cusecs.
Gravity of the situation could be imagined from the fact that at Khairmal 13.50 lakh cusecs water was flowing down at 6 PM on Thursday. Tel, a major tributary of Mahanadi, was adding 11.84 lakh cusecs of water at Patharala.
About 10.80 lakh cusecs of water was measured at Barmul and 9.48 lakh cusecs at Mundali. The State Government was keeping fingers crossed as the situation was becoming worse due to heavy rains in Chhatisgarh. More than 75 per cent of the upper catchment area of Mahanadi falls in Orissa.
At all the three river gauge sites in Mahanadi river system, water was rising fast and closing in the danger mark. At Anandpur and Akhuapada in Baitarani river system, water was flowing above danger mark.
Meanwhile, the State Government declared closure of all schools and colleges for two days in Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Puri disricts in view of the apprehended menace.
People in low-lying areas were advised to shift to safer places and district officials were mobilizing relief materials and manpower to meet the situation.
The Water Resource Department has deputed 40 engineers to survey vulnerable points along the Mahanadi river system and inform the control room immediately. The Water Resource Secretary was asked to review the situation every six hours.
The State Government had also released necessary funds to different districts to meet exigencies.
Revenue and Disaster Management department sources said roads were cut off in Rayagada, Soneur, Sambalpur, Kalahandi and Cuttack districts.
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