Floods displace thousands in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR: Floods triggered by a huge discharge of water from the Hirakud dam have displaced about 3,800 people and damaged at least 8,000 houses in 14 of Orissa's 30 districts, an official said Friday.The state flood control room here said the villagers moved to safer places from low-lying areas of Bargarh, Boudh, Deogarh, Jajpur, Nuapada and Sambalpur districts after water entered their houses."They have been provided with emergency food assistance," a control room official told IANS.Due to heavy rains in the upper catchment areas in the past several days, including in Chhattisgarh, a huge quantity of water is entering the Hirakud reservoir on the river Mahanadi in Sambalpur district, about 350 km from Bhubaneswar.As a result, the dam authorities had to release the excess water by opening 59 of the dam's 64 sluice gates. The inflow of water to the Hirakud Dam was 11.05 cusecs per second and outflow was 9.73 cusecs Friday evening, the official said.While the released water have already created havoc in several places, more people are likely to face the brunt in the next two days when the water will reach more downstream areas, the official added."Flood water up to 13-14 lakh cusecs is apprehended at Munduli in Cuttack district by 3 pm Saturday against pick flood level of 15.82 cusecs recorded in 2008. Floods may take one more day to reach coastal districts," he said."So far 1,437 villages of 34 blocks and eight urban local bodies area in 14 districts have been affected by the current floods," he added.Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the government was "closely monitoring" the situation."The district administrations are fully geared up to meet any eventualities. Food materials have been stocked in vulnerable places," he told reporters after reviewing the situation at the secretariat.The government has asked the collectors of all the vulnerable districts located along the Mahanadi river and its tributaries to remain alert and evacuate more people from the low-lying areas if necessary, Special Relief Commissioner P.K. Mohapatra said.