Bhubaneswar: Even as the season’s first floodwater was released from the Hirakud dam to downstream of the Mahanadi river, Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty claimed there is no fear of flood. The water level of Hirakud dam in Sambalpur district stood at 617.77 feet at 2pm as against its full reservoir capacity of 630 feet. The inflow of water into the reservoir was 2.79 lakh cusec, while the outflow was 2.50 lakh cusec. The water level of the dam is on a rising trend, according to an official report. The state government, in a release, said that due to the opening of 20 gates, the “Khairmal discharge would be around 4.50 lakh cusecs by 8am July 29 and the Mundali discharge will be around 5 lakh cusecs by 11 am July 30”. “Collectors of Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Nayagarh, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara have been asked to alert the people residing in downstream areas not to enter the Mahanadi riverside.
Domestic animals should not be allowed to graze close to the river. Collectors are also requested to remain alert and monitor the situation,” it said.
The District Emergency Operation Centre will also be manned by senior officers, the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) said in a letter to Collectors. The water level of Baitarani, one of the major rivers in the state, was also showing an increasing trend at noon and water was flowing at a level of 17.40 metres at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district as against the warning level of 17.83 metres and danger level of 18.33 metres.