Bhubaneswar: Release of excess water from Hirakud Dam in Sambalpur sparked flood fear in the Mahanadi River system in Odisha on Wednesday.
Amid rising water levels in the lower Mahanadi basin, over 4.47 lakh cusecs of floodwater continued to flow through Mundali in Cuttack district on Wednesday morning.
As per official sources, the water level upstream of Mundali stood at 87.50 feet, while downstream levels reached 84.30 feet, marking a sharp rise following the discharge of excess water from Hirakud Dam.
Officials said the water was being discharged through 16 sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam as part of routine monsoon flood control.
With the Mahanadi gradually swelling, floodwaters from the river have breached the boundary of the temple of Maa Bhattarika in Badamba area of Cuttack district.
Locals said the temple premises have been partially submerged, prompting the Endowment Department to issue a public warning through banners installed near the site. The authorities have advised devotees to avoid entering the shrine zone until further notice.
In order to ensure public safety and prevent any untoward incident, police personnel have been deployed in the affected area. The water level reportedly started rising from Tuesday morning, leading to concerns about potential damage to the temple structure and nearby facilities.
Officials said the idol of the Goddess may be temporarily relocated to a safer place if the situation worsens. The servitors and officials remain on high alert and are closely monitoring the flood situation.
While necessary steps have been taken to ensure that daily rituals of Maa Bhattarika are not disrupted, local residents and devotees have expressed concern over the recurring flood threats and have urged the administration to strengthen flood protection around the temple.
Meanwhile, officials in the Water Resources Department maintained that there is no immediate flood threat in the downstream areas of the Mahanadi delta despite rise in water levels.
Continuous observation of both upstream and downstream water levels is being done at the flood monitoring centre in Cuttack’s Naraj, and the department is keeping a close eye on rainfall activity in the upper catchments.
Meanwhile, the Hirakud Dam’s current inflow rate has surpassed its outflow, with 3,42,453 cusecs flowing in versus 3,35,649 cusecs being released, slightly increasing the reservoir’s storage. This trend has heightened preparedness levels across districts like Sambalpur, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, and Kendrapada.
Officials noted that the discharge began Sunday morning, with gate number 7 opened first. The steady rise in inflow, attributed to rainfall in Chhattisgarh and Odisha’s upper catchments, led to subsequent gates being opened to regulate pressure and minimise downstream risk.
Notably, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast further rainfall over the next 48 to 72 hours. As floodwaters moved through the delta region and more rain was predicted by the weather agency, the next 48 hours will be critical.
