Sambalpur: Torrential rainfall for the last 24 hours has led to flood-like situation in 3 districts of western Odisha even as the district has started relocating people in Sambalpur on Sunday.
According to sources, the district administration has shifted more than 1,000 people to safe shelters in low-lying areas of Sambalpur in view of likely flood in Mahanadi river system due to heavy rainfall in its upper catchment areas overnight.
On flood preparedness, Sambalpur district collector Ananya Das said 7 relief camps have been set up to relocate the people. Similarly, water pumps have been deployed to drain out water from low-lying areas.
The district administration took the steps after Hirakud dam authorities on Saturday opened 4 more gates of the reservoir to release excess rainwaters. So far, total 34 gates of the dam have been opened.
The water level of Hirakud dam stood at 616.56 ft at 6 am on Sunday against the full reservoir level of 630 ft. The inflow of water into the dam was 5,41,988 cusec while the outflow was 5,61,054 cusec.
Besides Samablpur, Bargarh, Sonepur and Boudh districts western Odisha on Sunday recorded very high rainfall in the last 24 hours. While Sambalpur registered 129.2 mm rainfall during the period, Hirakud received 80.8 mm and Bargarh 79.6 mm.
The rainwater released by Hirakud water and heavy rainfall inundated several areas in Sonepur district. In Binka block of the district, knee-deep water was flowing over Bijepur bridge, snapping road communication on Birmaharajpur-Sonepur route.
Similarly, Gulapada locality in Binka town has been rendered waterlogged with rainwater entering houses. The link between Binka and Dunguripalli has been snapped as 4-ft water was flowing over Sangijuba nullah.
As many as 55 villages under 10 panchayats of Harbhanga block of Boudh have been inundated and snapped from connection with outside world following heavy rain overnight.
