Bhubaneswar: Odisha is witnessing a gradual easing of the flood situation, with water levels in major rivers receding and no fresh flood threat reported in the state, Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Kumar Rout said on Saturday.
According to Rout, the state received relatively low rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 8 am on Saturday. Chilika in Khordha district recorded the highest rainfall at 93 mm, followed by Nabarangpur town at 83 mm and Khairaput in Malkangiri district at 82 mm.
“There was no significant rainfall in coastal Odisha. Rainfall was recorded in some areas of Rayagada, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts,” Rout said while speaking to reporters.
He said the low-pressure system currently has no significant impact on Odisha and water levels in major rivers are gradually coming down.
In the Subarnarekha River, the water level at Rajghat in Baleshwar district was recorded at 8.45 metres. The danger level at the location is 10.36 metres, while the warning level is 9.45 metres.
“The water level at Rajghat is receding and the flood period is gradually passing,” Rout said.
The discharge from the Galudih barrage has also been reduced significantly. According to the Water Resources Department, the discharge has come down from around 6,600 cusecs to 1,500 cusecs.
The situation in the Jalaka River has also improved. At Mathani, the danger level is 6.5 metres, while the current water level is around 5.1 metres.
Similarly, in the Baitarani River at Akhuapada, the danger level is 18.33 metres and the warning level is 17.33 metres. The water level has fallen to around two metres below the warning level, indicating a steady receding trend.
In the Brahmani River at Jenapur, the danger level is 23 metres and the warning level is 22 metres. The current water level was recorded at 20.98 metres. The inflow into the Rengali reservoir has also declined, Rout said.
At Hirakud, seven gates were open as of 8 am on Saturday. The reservoir level stood at 622.27 feet, while the inflow was around 1.90 lakh cusecs.
Around 1.45 lakh cusecs of water was being released through the seven sluice gates and the power channel.
Rout said there was also no flood situation at Mundali, one of the key points for monitoring the flow of water in the Mahanadi river system.
“With water levels in all the major rivers receding, there is currently no flood situation in the state,” Rout said.
The Water Resources Department is continuing to monitor river water levels and the inflow and outflow at major reservoirs and barrages, officials said.
