BHUBANESWAR : While there has not been report of any serious damage due to cyclone Hud Hud in Odisha, the State is staring at possible flash floods as the cyclonic storm, which passed through Malkangiri district tonight, will trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall across southern districts.
“We have not received any report of large-scale damage following the cyclone except some cases of tree and electric poles getting uprooted. However, there may be a flood-like situation in southern districts as the cyclone will be followed by heavy rains,” Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra told mediapersons here.
Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Nuapada, Boudh, Balangir, Sonepur and Phulbani will receive heavy rainfall during the next 24 hours. There will be flash flood if these areas receive 250 mm rainfall in the next 24 hours, he said.
The SRC said the water level in Rushikulya and Bansadhara river was much below the danger mark. Rushikulya river was flowing at 13.9 metres against the danger level of 16.83 metres at Purushottampur. Bansadhara was flowing at 81.77 metres against the danger level of 84 metres at Gunupur and at 54.07 metres against the danger level of 54.6 metres at Kashipur. The rivers are showing rising trends.
He, however, said the Government has brought down the water level in major reservoirs as a precautionary measure to deal with the possible heavy inflow from the upper catchment leading to a flood situation. While it has released 2.5 metres water in Indravati reservoir, the Water Resource department has also scaled down the water level in Hirakud reservoir in Sambalpur district to 625 feet apprehending heavy rainfall in the upper catchment area of Mahanadi river.
Apprehending worsening of the flood situation in Rayagada district, the district administration has shifted 7,196 people from the low-lying areas in Gudari, Padmapur, Gunupur, Ramanaguda, Kalodara and Rayagada blocks to 35 shelters.