Three dead, flood threat issued in 12 districts in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: As incessant torrential rains claimed three lives and posed flood threat in Mahanadi river and other rivers in Odisha, the state government today alerted 12 districts to gear up for any eventuality as heavy downpour is likely to pound some areas due to a deep depression.

Collectors of 12 districts were asked to remain watchful and take all steps to deal with possible flood, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra told reporters after the situation was reviewed at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here.

Alert was sounded in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, Cuttack, Boudh, Nayagarh and Keonjhar districts, he said.

The Chief Minister stressed the need to evacuate people from low lying areas in time and make arrangements for free cooked food and relief, Mohapatra said, adding vulnerable points in river embankments would be kept under vigil and

steps taken for availability of drinking water and medicines.

As continuous torrential rain in different parts of the state posed flood situation in Mahanadi, Baitarani, Budhabalanga and other rivers, fire service units in the districts are to be deployed for evacuation operation, SRC office said in a statement.

Eight NDRF teams were sent to Keonjhar, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Puri districts to assist in rescue and relief work, it said, adding 10 ODRAF units were deployed in Cuttack, Sambalpur, Bolangir,

Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Balasore districts. Nearly 10 lakh cusec water was flowing in Mahanadi at Munduli and water level in the river was recorded at 26.59 metre, slightly above the danger mark of 26.41 mt, it said.

Similarly, Baitarani river was also flowing above the danger level at Andandpur and Akhuapada, it said.

While one person died in wall collapse in Boudh district yesterday, another drowned in Sambalpur district and one more in Kandhamal, SRC office said.

The Met office said the low pressure over Gangetic West Bengal first intensified into a depression and then deep depression and lay centered over Jharkhand and neighbourhood.

Under its impact, rain and thundershower would occur at most places over Odisha during next 24 hours, it said.

Similarly, isolated extremely heavy rainfall with heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places over north Odisha and heavy rainfall at one or two places over south Odisha would occur in next 24 hours, it said.

Gusty surface wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting upto 65 kmph may prevail along and off Odisha coast, the Met office said advising fishermen not to venture into sea.