Flood alert in Odhisa's low-lying areas, 23 people killed

The flood situation turned grim in regions like Athagad, Tigiria and Banki following alarming rise in Mahanadi river system that prompted the state administration to step up rescue drive on an emergency basis.

Odisa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked the collectors of 13 districts including Nayagad, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsingpur and Puri to keep a close watch on the situation and evacuate villagers from vulnerable pockets.

The flood water of Mahanadi is expected to hit the delta region on Thursday. Districts like Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Buodh, Khurda and Nayagarh are likely to be hit more due to flood in Mahanadi river system.

Over 17,000 people have already been evacuated from low-lying areas. They have now been given shelters at safe locations. Cooked food is also being provided to them, officials said.

According to Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra, the upper catchment areas of Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh registered more rainfall. Thus more sluice gates of Hirakud dam were likely to be opened. The water level in Hirakud reservoir stood at around 624 ft against its full capacity of 630 ft and now as many as 17 gates are open.

Mahanadi was flowing at 26.50 metres at Naraj near Cuttack against the danger level of 26.41 metres with around 9.87 lakh cusecs of water now flowing in the river at Munduli. The volume is also expected to rise.

Mohapatra said that over 12 lakh cusec water is likely to flow in the river at Munduli on Thursday. Speaking on the flood situation in Baitarani river, he said the current situation in Jajpur and Bhadrak district was grim but there would be considerable improvement soon.

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