BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Sunday issued a flood alert for at least five districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur as water levels in the Subarnarekha, Baitarani and Brahmani rivers have started rising due to incessant rainfall in the upper catchment areas. The rains have been triggered by back-toback low pressures in the Bay of Bengal.
With the IMD forecast of more heavy rains due to another system this week, the collectors have been asked to keep the administrative gear in readiness to deal with any eventuality. Engineer-in-chief (EIC) of Water Resources department Chandra Sekhar Padhi said the water level in Subarnarekha and Baitarani rivers had started rising since Saturday.
Subarnarekha was flowing at 10.85 metre against the danger level of 10.36 metre at Rajghat in Balasore district. The water level is likely to rise to 11.4 metre on Monday which will result in a flood. The government is expecting a medium scale flood in the district, he said. Subarnarekha river has already inundated low-lying areas of Bishnupur, Palia, Ikidpal , Bada Talapada, Jamkunda, Kulhachada and Rashalpur in Baliapal block and Chirkula, Gabgaon, Kusuda, Aruhaburti, Dajhamunda, Uluda, Nahara, Kumbhirgadi, Khalabadia, Pontei, Kulha and Putina in Bhograi block of Balasore district. Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas convened an emergency meeting and instructed all BDOs, tehsildars and senior officials to monitor the situation and remain prepared for immediate response.
Rescue personnel on stand-by in five districts
Similarly, the water level of Baitarani at Akhuapada in Bhadrak district was at 18.49 metre against the danger level of 18.33 metre. Even as the river showed a declining trend, it is expected to rise again as rains are continuing in the catchment areas, he added. Bhadrak collector Dilip Routray told mediapersons that the district administration is ready to tackle the situation and has made all arrangements for evacuation and rescue if necessity arises.
The Brahmani river also marked an upward trend and was flowing close to the danger level at Rourkela. The Sundargarh district administration shifted 200 people from the vulnerable areas of the city on Sunday as a precautionary measure because of the swell in Sankha river, a major tributary of Brahmani.
Rourkela tehsildar Salama Majhi said Koel, another tributary of Bramhani, was also rising and evacuation from the low-lying pockets had commenced. “The district administration has been keeping a strict vigil on the situation and is fully geared up to meet any exigency. If needed more persons would be evacuated,” she said.
Senior officers have also been deployed in Jajpur district to monitor the situation and take precautionary measures. Revenue and Disaster management minister Suresh Pujari is set to review the situation on Monday. With forecast of another system in the next 48 hours, the impact and government’s future course of action will be decided in the meeting.