Odisha floods: Hirakud water reaches Cuttack as 10 districts remain on high alert

Excess water released from the Hirakud Dam reached Mundali near Cuttack on Sunday, August 1, swelling the Mahanadi, but officials said there was no immediate major flood threat in the delta region as 10 districts remained on high alert.

The water flow at Mundali rose to 5.73 lakh cusecs at 9 am from 4.74 lakh cusecs on Saturday.

Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Kumar Rout said the peak flood in the Mahanadi had passed and the flow at Mundali was expected to remain around 7 lakh cusecs, well below the 8.88 lakh cusecs recorded on Thursday night.

He said the additional water was unlikely to cause significant damage or inundate new areas, provided there was no further heavy rainfall.

The state government had placed 10 districts in the Mahanadi basin on high alert after the Hirakud Dam released water through 22 sluice gates on Friday. Officials have been asked to remain vigilant, particularly in low-lying areas of Khurda, Cuttack, Puri, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur.

Meanwhile, floods in northern Odisha have affected more than eight lakh people, with several villages still marooned due to overflowing rivers including the Salanadi, Jalaka, Baitarani, Brahmani and Budhabalang.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said water levels in the affected northern districts were receding and directed officials to speed up relief and rehabilitation work. Ministers, including two deputy chief ministers, have been assigned to oversee relief operations and flood mitigation measures.

The state government said safe drinking water was being supplied in affected areas, while power had been restored to 4.55 lakh, or 87.21 per cent, of the 5.22 lakh affected consumers.

A total of 566 Medical Assistance Teams have been deployed with stocks of essential medicines. Nearly 50 pregnant women were shifted to health facilities, with 53 safe deliveries recorded on Saturday.

The Housing and Urban Development department has restored 371 urban roads covering 171.15 km and 56 culverts. Sanitation, dewatering, chlorination and water tanker services are also being provided in affected areas.

The Fisheries and Animal Resources department has launched relief operations for 4.89 lakh livestock and 2.34 lakh poultry affected by the floods across nine districts.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds at isolated places across several districts until Monday morning.