Orissa floods: Mahanadi continues to flow above danger mark

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The flood situation in Orissa remained grim today with the Mahanadi River continuing to flow above the danger mark in the delta region, affecting 14 lakh people and snapping road links with about 1,000 villages.

An estimated 14 lakh people from over 2600 villages have been affected by the floods which have left 16 dead, while rescuers evacuated about one lakh marooned people and sheltered them at safer places, official sources said.

Stepping up relief operation, the state government air dropped food and other essentials with the help of three choppers.

Following halt in rains in upper catchment area and reduced inflow, water level in Hirakud reservoir dropped marginally to 628.5 feet from more than 629.3 feet recorded yesterday, sources said.

As a result only 23 sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam were kept open to maintain balance. Both the inflow and outflow of water in the reservoir was maintained at 4,00,840 cusec, they said.

Though water started receding in submerged areas of Sambalpur, Sonepur, Boudh and Bargarh districts, floods in the entire Mahanadi River system in the delta region continued to play havoc as around 1000 villages were completely cut off from the rest of the world, they said.

Water level at many places including Naraj, Jobra, Alipingala and Daleighai remained above the danger mark. Discharge of water into the sea may become difficult due to high tide on account of full moon day today, said a senior official of water resources department.