Bhubaneswar: Then flood situation in Odisha remained grim on Saturday as the flow in Mahanadi River rose alarmingly following the release of excess water from the Hirakud dam through 22 sluice gates.
The state government has put the collectors of Cuttack, Puri, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada districts on high alert after 22 gates of the Hirakud reservoir were opened on Friday.
Officials said water levels in the Mahanadi expected to rise at Naraj and Mundali in Kataka district. Hirakud authorities opened the gates in three phases by Friday evening following heavy inflow from the upper catchment areas.
According to latest official data, the reservoir level (R.L.) stood at 625.47 feet and was showing an upward trend. This is against the Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 630 feet.
Inflow into the Hirakud Reservoir was recorded at 4,15,017 cusecs, while the average outflow stood at 3,89,603 cusecs. Of the outflow, the bulk — 3,54,002 cusecs — was being released through the spillway. Additional releases included 31,759 cusecs through the power channel, 247 cusecs for industrial use, and 3,595 cusecs through canals (primarily BMC, SMC, and SBP distributaries).
The high inflow and corresponding gate operations are being managed to regulate water levels in the reservoir on the Mahanadi River. Downstream gauge stations were also reporting significant discharges, with authorities monitoring the situation closely.
Dam officials continue to operate the gates based on real-time inflow, rainfall in the catchment areas, and downstream conditions. Residents in low-lying areas along the Mahanadi and its tributaries have been advised to remain alert.
The Mahanadi was flowing above the danger level at Naraj, while the water level at Hirakud stood at 625.25 ft in the evening against its full reservoir level of 630 ft.
According to Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, the situation is likely to improve after a day. He said the release of water from Hirakud is not likely to aggravate the flood situation downstream.
The current heavy flow at Mundali is caused by heavy rain and is expected to come down by the time the reservoir water reaches there, he said.
The minister said the absence of rainfall in Odisha and the upper catchment areas over the past 24 hours had brought some relief, though the state is keeping an eye on the Mahanadi river system. Pujari said 8.36 lakh people across 15 districts have been affected by the floods.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will undertake an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Jajpur, Bhadrak, Baleshwar and Kendujhar districts in Odisha at on Saturday.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari and Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil will accompany him on the inspection, after which the Chief Minister is expected to review ongoing rescue and relief operations.
The Chief Minister had earlier directed the Chief Secretary, the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and other senior officials to closely monitor the flood situation and implement all necessary measures to address the crisis. He had also deputed three senior IAS officers to oversee flood management in Baleshwar, Bhadrak and Jajpur districts.
