Bhubaneswar: As low pressure induced rain continues Subarnarekha river is flowing above the danger level, informed Water Resources Minister Tukuni Sahu.
“Currently, it is flowing at 11.90 metres. The water level in most of the rivers has declined including river Baitarini at Akhuapada. However, the water level in Subarnarekha has remained steady for the last 8 hours. Today is most crucial,” Sahu added.
Water Resources Department is fully geared with man, materials and machinery to tackle any eventuality due to the flood situation, she asserted.
“We have ample quantities of sandbags, wooden poles, etc that are required to plug breaches in the embankment. Our engineers are present on the ground to tackle any situation,” she added.
The Minister said that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s emphasis is on ‘zero casualty’.
“The Odisha government under the able guidance of the Chief Minister has always earned praises for successfully tackling natural calamities like Fani, Hud Hud or Titli. So this time too we shall overcome,” said Sahu.
She said that keeping in mind that ‘every life is precious’ senior engineers of the Water Resources Department are monitoring the situation.
At the ground level the department is conducting night patrolling, she added.
The Minister said that as of now there are no reports of breaches in the river Subarnarekha embankment.
She, however, informed that flood water has entered low-lying areas of Baliapal, Bhograi and Basta blocks of Balasore district.
