Orissa waits with bated breath

BHUBANESWAR: Flood situation in Orissa worsened on Friday with the release of more water downstream from Hirakud dam. The Mahanadi river system threatened to inundate large tracts in 14 districts. With a whopping 14 lakh cusec water set to pass through Munduli barrage __ where the deltaic regions begin __ by Saturday morning, an anxious coastal belt was waiting for the worse to happen.At least eight deaths were reported from different parts of the State while the Government mobilised engineers to patrol the embankments, which had begun to breach.Till reports last came in, close to 6.5 lakh people have been marooned in 1,500 villages of 39 blocks and eight urban local bodies in 14 districts.The number would rise significantly after water reaches the plains overnight. With huge discharge of flood water from Hirakud dam, the downstream of Mahanadi was grappling with an impending disaster.Having opened 59 gates, close to 9.72 lakh cusec water was being released into the downstream while the inflow had steadied at 10.61 lakh cusec. “We have begun evacuation from different parts of the State anticipating inundation and started distribution of relief materials, but a clear picture will emerge only when the discharged water reaches Munduli later in the night and on Saturday morning,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister S N Patro said.With Hirakud reservoir level standing at 629.08 feet, less than half a feet from the full level, there was no option for the dam authorities but to release more water into the downstream.Large areas in Sonepur, Boudh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal, Nayagarh, Bargarh, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Sambalpur and Jagatsinghpur had witnessed inundation and people were being shifted to safer places.In Sambalpur, at least 10,000 people were evacuated while similar process was being carried out in Boudh, Jharsuguda, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj and Sonepur.Initial reports said at least five persons died in Jajpur, Kendrapara, Mayurbhanj and Sambalpur and three persons were swept away in Nayagarh district. Breaches along the embankments had already been reported from Jajpur, Kendrapara and Cuttack districts.The State Government said it has identified 28 most sensitive pockets and 500 vulnerable points for breach where patrolling was being conducted.Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik said water discharge at Munduli is expected to peak at 14 lakh cusec from Saturday onwards and the State Government is equipped to handle the situation.“When the carrying capacity of the rivers is 9 lakh cusec, we had managed to tackle a discharge of 14 lakh cusec. Now, we are equipped to handle 14 lakh cusec with an improved capacity, but there will be breaches in low-lying areas,” he said.In Jagatsinghpur’s Daleighai, the water level was flowing close to the danger level.The State Government was concerned over tidal conditions during the next two days which will slow down discharge of flood water into the Bay of Bengal and mount pressure on the embankments.While Mahanadi was causing havoc, Brahmani had already started flooding Jajpur district as the authorities had opened three gates to manage the inflow.