BHUBANESWAR: Flood situation in Orissa worsened on Friday with the opening of 59 gates of Hirakud dam to discharge excess rain water, even as the state government geared up to meet the threat.
Around 10.5 lakh cusec of water flowed into Hirakud dam due to unabated rains in Chhattisgarh, water level touched 628.5 ft as against the reservoir level of 630 ft, chief engineer of Hirakud reservoir S K Mishra said.
In view of the rising water-level, a total of 55 sluice gates and four crest gates have been opened to maintain a balance between inflow and outflow, he said, adding that about 9.8 lakh cusec of water was being released now.
There are 64 sluice gates and 34 crest gates at the Hirakud dam for discharge of excess water, officials said.
Following discharge of more water from Hirakud dam, about 13 lakh cusec of water was now flowing through Khairmal and it is likely to reach Munduli near Cuttack, water resources department secretary Suresh Mohapatra said.
A high alert has already been sounded in 11 districts while the government apprehends a severe flood threat in Mahanadi delta area comprising four districts of Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur, sources said.
In addition, districts like Nayagarh, Puri, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Boudh would also be affected due to the flood in Mahanadi river system, they said, adding that people in low-lying areas were asked to move to safe places.
The government is ready to launch relief and rescue operation, while arrangements were being made for air-dropping food and other essential commodities.
Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) has also been kept ready for undertaking rescue and relief.
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