ROURKELA: Heavy rain in the catchment areas for the last two days has led to rise in water level of Brahmani, a major inter-State river originating from Rourkela. The river was, however, flowing below the red mark near Brahmani bridge at Panposh here on Monday with no immediate flood threat to low-lying downstream areas.
Rivers Sankh and Koel, originating from adjacent Jharkhand, meet at Vedvyas of Rourkela to form Brahmani and flood water from Koel is attributed to rise in water level of Brahmani. Currently, water flow to Brahmani from Sankh is regulated at Mandira dam of Rourkela Steel Plant. Amid flood alert, Sundargarh district administration is closely monitoring the flow of water in the three rivers in and around Rourkela.
Panposh Sub-Collector HS Behera said against the red mark of 178.42 m at Panposh, the water level of Brahmani reached 176.67 m on Monday noon. As water started receding after 2 pm, situation is now under control, he said, adding that water level of Brahmani would rise again with the Mandira dam authorities planning to release water in night. Except sporadic incidents of flood water entering low-lying rural areas including Mitkundri and collapse of some mud houses due to heavy rain, there has been no reports of loss of lives.Official sources said the city on Sunday received 114 mm rainfall, while till 3.30 pm on Monday, it was 11 mm.
Areas under the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) limits and some parts of Sundargarh district on Monday faced water-logging again. On Sunday, parts of Kalinga Vihar of Chhend Colony, C block area of Koelnagar along with other low-lying slum pockets including Jagannathbasti, Magunibasti, Churibasti, Nepalibasti, Gopabandhupali and Madhusudanpali faced water-logging for four to six hours.
On Monday, low-lying areas of Ward-14 under RMC limits were water-logged. Several mud houses in slum pockets of the city also caved in over the past two days. In Koida block headquarters, a tree uprooted and fell on a truck. The truck driver escaped unhurt.