Cuttack, July 31 (UDN): Odisha’s flood situation remained critical on Friday as the Mahanadi river continued to swell, with authorities estimating that more than 9.5 lakh cusecs of floodwater will pass through the Mundali barrage. The projected discharge has prompted the state administration to intensify surveillance and issue alerts for vulnerable downstream areas.
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Officials warned that the increasing inflow in the Mahanadi is likely to trigger a rise in water levels across several connected river systems, raising the risk of flooding in low-lying regions of central and coastal Odisha.
Downstream Districts Brace for Flood Impact
According to the Water Resources Department, the floodwaters are expected to spread through the Mahanadi’s distributaries, including the Luna, Karandia, Chitrotpala, Paika and Devi rivers. Water levels are also likely to increase in the Kandal, Kushabhadra, Bhargavi and Daya rivers over the coming days.
The districts of Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara have been placed on alert as the river system continues to swell. In Cuttack district, the riverbank areas of Banki and Athagarh are also expected to face the impact of the rising water level.
District administrations have advised residents of low-lying and riverbank villages to remain vigilant and follow evacuation advisories if required.
Water Discharge Continues to Increase
Officials said that as of Thursday evening, 3,97,024 cusecs of water was flowing through the Jobra Anicut, while the Mahanadi’s water level there measured 21.20 metres. With additional inflows expected from the upper catchment, discharge through Mundali is projected to increase significantly.
Embankment Breach Raises Fresh Concerns
The flood situation has been compounded by an embankment breach reported near Jodum village in Badamba block, where overflowing Mahanadi waters inundated large tracts of agricultural land, causing fresh concern among local residents.
As a precautionary measure, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have been enforced around the Dhabaleswar, Bhattarika and Singhanath temple areas to prevent public movement in flood-prone locations.
The state government continues to monitor the evolving situation closely, with disaster response teams and district administrations on standby to undertake evacuation, relief and rescue operations wherever necessary.