NUAPADA/SAMBALPUR: Two women were killed and an eight-year-old child suffered serious injuries after a wall collapsed due to heavy rains at an under-construction poultry farm in Komna block of the district on Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Balmati Sabar (35) and Rupe Sabar (61). The injured minor is Ridhi Sabar. The mishap took place at around 11 am in Patakarapali village within Lakhana police limits.
Sources said one Dibakar Sabar is constructing a poultry farm with financial assistance from the government in Patakarapali village. On the day, he along with his wife Balmati, daughter Ridhi and relative Rupe visited the farm to take stock of the progress of construction work.
While the family was inspecting the partially-built structure, a wall suddenly gave way due to heavy rains crushing Balmati and Rupe under it. Both the women died on the spot. Ridhi sustained serious injuries and was rescued with the help of locals. She was later rushed to the nearby hospital.
Preliminary reports suggested that continuous rainfall weakened the construction of the structure, leading to the fatal wall collapse. Lakhana police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, the Hirakud dam authorities released the season’s first floodwater on the day. As of 6 pm on Sunday, water was being released through 20 sluice gates including 13 gates on the left spillway and seven on the right spillway of the dam.
Chief engineer of upper Mahanadi basin Susil Behera said the water was first released through gate number 7 on the left spillway. Later, other gates were opened. Further steps on flood management will be decided keeping in view the water level, rainfall on the upper catchment, probable inflow of water into the reservoir besides the situation on the downstream. The water level will be kept at 605 ft by July 31 as per the rule curve.
According to official sources, it will take at least 36 hours for the water to reach Mundali. Behera said, “There are 13 districts downstream of Hirakud dam. We have urged the administration of these districts and the line departments to remain alert.”
The sources said in the morning before that gates were opened, the water level of the dam stood at 609.07 ft while the average rainfall on the upstream was 56.98 mm. The rainfall on the downstream was 18.58 mm.
At 6 pm, the water level of the dam was 610.05 ft. While the inflow of water into the reservoir was 2,50,102 cusec, the outflow from the dam was 3,36,508 cusec including 2,97,280 cusec through spillways, 35,771 cusec to power channel, 3,223 cusec water for irrigation and 234 cusec for industries.