Bhubaneswar: Bansadhara and Baitarani breached the danger mark on Wednesday, following heavy rains in Odisha and the upper catchment areas of the rivers over the last two days.
According to sources, the Bansadhara is flowing at 54.90 metre as against the danger mark of 54.60 metre near Kashinagar in Gajapati district. The district administration has issued advisory to the local people to remain alert amid fear of inundation of low-lying areas. The administration is also closely watching the situation in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, which released the first floodwater of the season through 17 gates of Gotta barrage in Srikakulam.
Similarly, water level in the Baitarani is also rising due to continuous rainfall. The river has crossed the danger mark at Rajghat, where it is flowing at 39.14 metre against the danger mark of 36.36 metre. The water level of the river stood at the danger level of 17.83 metre at Akhuapada at 12.35 pm.
The depression-induced heavy rainfall has also caused flood-like situation in several parts of the state. While floodwater has inundated numerous low-lying villages at Biramaharajpur in Sonepur district, Manisapali, Manisapali Jungle, Brahmanipalli, Baraghat and Krushnapalli villages are marooned following release of floodwaters from Harihara Jore dam on Tuesday night.
Communication between Biramaharajpur and Luturapanka, Bahalapadara and Durjanatalai panchayats through Amrapalli route has also been affected with floodwater flowing five foot above the road.
A landslide was also reported at Judiya ghat hills on the Kolkata-Mumbai National Highway-49 (NH-49) in the district, leading to disruption in communication. Residents of Jamuhata, Sponge colony and Dhangarapada are also stranded due to the excess water because of heavy rains.
Additionally, communication links between Telkoi and other major areas like Talcher, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, and Bhubaneswar have been snapped due to the deluge. The Hanumantia Nuallah bridge is also submerged under water, leading to breakdown of communication between Telkoi, Rourkela, and Sambalpur, the sources added.
Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahu on Wednesday reviewed the rain situation with the collectors of Angul, Balasore, Bargarh, Boudh, Bhadrak, Balangir, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Mayurbhanj, Nuapada, Sonepur and Sambalpur. They have been directed to take adequate precautionary measures and keep all field-level functionaries at strategic locations susceptible to waterlogging/low-lying areas to meet any eventuality. “People from waterlogging areas are to be evacuated if required and sheltered in safe shelters. They shall be provided with dry/cooked food and drinking water. Adequate Anti-Snake Venom must be available in DHH/CHCs/PHCs. The local Fire Service Teams & ULB authorities shall take steps in de-watering and clearance of uprooted trees if arises. Vehicular traffic must be regulated carefully on submerged roads,” the SRC said.
He further said that Collectors may decide close schools and Anganwadi centres if required due to heavy rain. Vehicular traffic must be regulated carefully on submerged roads, he added.
Notably, highest rainfall of 390.6 mm was recorded in Boudh block of Boudh district in the last 24 hours. Twenty places reported extremely heavy rainfall (>20.4cm) , 50 very heavy rainfall (11.6 to 20.4 cm) and 61 stations heavy rainfall (6.5 to 11.5 cm). More than 300 mm rainfall was recorded in Boudh (390.6 mm), Karanjia in Mayurbjanh (300.6 mm) and Jujumura (361.8 mm) and Rairakhol (348 mm) in Sambalpur district.
Similarly, more than 200 mm was recorded in 17 blocks — Athamalik- 232.0 mm & Kishorenagar- 230.0 mm of Angul district; Duduka- 223.4 mm of Balangir district; Phiringia- 219.2 mm, Baliguda- 210.0 mm, Nuagaon- 206.4 mm & Phulbani- 205.6 mm of Kandhamal district; Saharpada- 276.8 mm & Patna- 220.2 mm of Keonjhar district; Thakurmunda- 218.0 mm, Joshipur- 217.2 mm, Raruana- 210.0 mm & Sukuruli- 208.6 mm of Mayurbhanj district; Birmaharajpur- 272.4 mm, Ullunda- 262.0 mm, Binika- 227.2 mm & Dunguripali- 210.0 mm of Sonepur district.
The India Meteorological Department has issued ‘Red Warning’ for 10 districts for the day. Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) is likely at a few places in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Balangir, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Keonjhar, and Boudh with isolated extremely heavy rainfalls (>20cm) in Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Balangir, Sonepur, and Sambalpur.
