Severe flood in Mahanadi system in Orissa, Army alerted

Bhubaneswar, Sep 19 (UNI) With 15.50 lakh cusec of flood water expected to pass through Munduli by tomorrow noon triggering the possibility of a severe flood in the Mahanadi delta, the government today alerted the Army and geared up its administrative machinery to face the situation.

As the flood water submerged vast tracts of low-lying areas, the government started evacuating the people to safer places. So far over 35,000 people had been shifted to safer places.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the flood situation and directed the officials to empower the Sarpanches to provide cooked food to the flood victims, stock sufficient drinking water, halogen tablets and relief materials at strategic points at the panchayat levels.

Mr Patnaik also directed to deploy medical teams to provide medicare to the flood victims and ordered the officials to keep a close watch on weak and vulnerable points of river embankments.

He also directed to conduct joint patrolling of embankments with police and people and make adequate light arrangements.

The departments relating to relief and rehabilitation would be opened on Sunday in the Secretariat.

Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal said a grim situation following swelling up of the major rivers such as the Mahanadi, Baitarani, Brahamani, Rushikuly and Vansdhara.

He said the water level was increasing in the Mahanadi river system and would continue to rise till noon tomorrow. The Minister said at 1700 hrs today 14.85 lakh cusec of water was flowing through Munduli and it was expected to rise to 15.50 lakh cusec by tomorrow noon.

Mr Samal said the situation in Cuttack, Kendrapara, Puri and Jagatsinghpur would turn worse in the wake of high flood in Mahanadi river system.

A part of Jajpur district would also be adversely affected by the Brahamani and Baitarani rivers.

The Minister said so far over six lakh people in 576 Gram Panchayats spreading over 15 districts of the state had been affected in the flood, which had damaged crop in 40,765 hectare of land. As many as 6417 houses had also been damaged.

So far seven people were killed in rain and flood-related incidents in the state and the District Collectors were asked to pay a compensation of Rs one lakh to the next kin of the deceased within 48 hours.

The Minister said at least 14 breaches were reported from various places. Koraogoda village under Simlipur Gram Panchayat near Banki was marooned following breach but the people of the villages were shifted to safer place.

In Bolangir NH-201 was disconnected after a 30 feet breach occurred. The Tursra-M-Rampur road near Gudvella and Kantabanjhi -Gudighat-Tikarapada road had breached. Road communication was disconnected after the Sindhekela-Kusrud road submerged under flood water.

The water supply system in Titalagarha and Patnagarh was submerged in the flood water.

The Minister said more than 200 boats were deployed in each of the flood-affected districts for the rescue and relief operation.

Eds: here pls pick up suitably from earlier series.

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