Bhubaneswar: The Central Water Commission (CWC) has issued a warning regarding increasing river levels and the possibility of flooding in various regions of Odisha, with heavy to very heavy rainfall anticipated from October 28 to 29.
The CWC has pinpointed the lower stretches of the Mahanadi, Baitarani, Brahmani, Indravati, Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Saveri, Rushikulya, Daya, and Bhargavi rivers as particularly susceptible to rising water levels, affecting several districts in the state.
This warning encompasses areas including Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Khordha, Puri, Kataka, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur, Keonjhar, and Mayurbhanj.
In a separate advisory, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued flash flood warnings for 17 districts, including Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Nayagada, Boudh, Subarnapur, Baragada, Sambalpur, Anugola, Khordha, Puri, Nuapada, Balangir, and Jharsuguda.
Authorities are cautioned that heavy rainfall may lead to increased river discharge, potentially flooding low-lying regions, necessitating vigilant monitoring of the conditions.
According to data from the CWC, water levels in the Rushikulya river are on the rise at Sorada and Purushottampur in Ganjam district. Similarly, rising water levels have been observed in the Badajhor river at Mahendragada and the Harbhangi river at Mohana in Gajapati district, as well as the Kolab river at Sirimoda in Koraput district.
The Commission has also raised concerns about heightened inflows into the Balimela, Jalaput, Upper Indravati, Kolab, and Rengali reservoirs. Reservoir management has been advised to control water releases according to established operating protocols to reduce the risk of downstream flooding and prevent waterlogging in upstream areas.
