ROURKELA: With Brahmani river continuing to swell and Rourkela receiving flood water from its tributaries, Sankh and Koel, on Thursday, people of the low-lying areas along the river banks continue to live with the fear of flash floods.
Though incessant rains for the past few days heaped miseries on hundreds of slum dwellers across Rourkela city with rainwater entering their houses, the situation improved on Thursday as rains stopped and the Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) swung into action.
On the day, Brahmani was flowing at 176 meters against the danger mark of 178.42 metres. Reliable sources said Brahmani was swelling since August 1 flowing at 172.62 metres at Rourkela. But, the river saw a significant rise over the past 24 hours reaching 176 metres on Thursday.
Even without any rain on the day, the water level was rising at an hourly rate of about 10 cm receiving flood water from Keol and Sankh rivers. Till 5.30 pm, the water level of the Mandira dam of the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) of SAIL on Sankh river had reached 685 feet against the maximum level of 690 feet.
RSP sources said the dam was witnessing an inflow of about one lakh cusec and releasing the same amount with full opening of nine and partial opening of two spillway gates, while two sluice gates were open up to six-inch height. They said for the past couple of hours the water inflow was constant.
Official sources said the next few hours would be crucial for the residents of Dandiapali, Balughat and other low-lying areas along the banks of Brahmani. Meanwhile, since Wednesday evening, residents of slums at Malgodam, Gopabandhupali, Railway Colony, along Mahtab Road and Nala Road along Jagannath Colony slum and Khatal Basti of Basanti Colony had a tough time as water entered most houses.
The RMC on Thursday pressed earth-moving vehicles to evacuate water. Till Thursday evening, efforts were on to clear rainwater from Tungritoli slum at Panposh. RMC deputy commissioner Sudhanshu Bhoi said the situation has improved on the day.