Odisha Weather Update: IMD Issues Red Alert In 7 Districts, Flood Alert Issued For Mahanadi

The Odisha weather department has announced that another low-pressure area has formed over the northern Bay of Bengal and can intensify into a depression.

Odisha Weather Alert: The Meteorological department on Saturday said the coastal state of Odisha is likely to witness flood situation in the Mahanadi river basin due to heavy downpour and high water inflow in the Hirakud reservoir. Moreover, the state weather department has also announced that another low-pressure area has formed over the northern Bay of Bengal and can intensify into a depression. In the wake of these developments, the weather department has issued a red alert for torrential rains in seven districts of the state.

In the meantime, Water Resources engineer-in-chief Bijay Kumar Mishra said four more gates of the Hirakud dam in western Odisha’s Sambalpur district were opened. Currently, excess water is flowing from 24 gates into the Mahanadi downstream areas of the state, which was battered by heavy rain over the past few days due to depression.

Mishra said around 6 lakh cusecs of water will reach Mundali in Cuttack district on Sunday morning and 7 lakh cusecs at 8 am on Monday. The water released from Hirakud generally takes 36 hours to reach the area. The Mahanadi is also getting additional water from the Tel tributary.

“After considering today’s situation, we think that there can be a small level of flood in the Mahanadi system if more water is needed to be released on the basis of the rain situation in upper catchment areas and Chhattisgarh,” he told reporters.

“The Baitarani river crossed the danger level of 17.83 at Akhuapada in Bhadrak and we expect it will reach a maximum of 18.23 m, which will not be that much of a problem,” Mishra said.

The Jalaka is also above the danger mark of 5.5 m, while the water level in the other rivers is also rising, but below the danger level, according to the official.

The department has deputed senior officials to several districts, leaves have been cancelled and the coastal division has been directed to be on alert.

Hirakud chief engineer Anand Chandra Sahu said alleged lack of cooperation from Chhatisgarh as the Kalma barrage authorities were not passing information on the discharge of floodwater from their point.

Sahu added that the situation was being managed at Hirakud on the basis of the data from the Central Water Commission.

“We’re monitoring the situation round the clock. The inflow is high and we have to open more gates if it increases,” he said.

The Met issued a red warning of extremely heavy rain in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Dhenkanal districts till Sunday morning.

Extremely heavy downpour is forecasted for in Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Bargarh, Angul, Boudh, Subarnapur, Bolangir, Nuapada and Kalahandi on Sunday. It may lead to a significant rise in water level of rivers, flash flood, landslides, inundation of low-lying areas and agricultural fields, besides damage to houses and roads.

The weather office warned of heavy to very heavy rain in the rest of the districts till Monday morning.

(With inputs from PTI)