Bhubaneswar, 18 July (H.S.): The flood-like situation triggered by heavy rainfall in parts of Odisha has begun to ease, with water levels in the Sapua and Kansabansa rivers gradually receding. However, authorities remain on high alert and are closely monitoring river systems across the state, Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Kumar Rout said on Saturday.

Rout stated that rainfall over the past two days had caused waterlogging in several areas and led to minor flooding in some pockets, including parts of Baleshwar district. With a reduction in rainfall, water levels have started to decline and the overall situation is now under control.

“In the Sapua River, water had overtopped banks at a few locations, resulting in a minor flood situation. The level is now receding and is expected to drain towards the Mahanadi by Sunday morning,” Rout said.

He added that the Kansabansa River in the Soro region of Baleshwar district had also breached its banks earlier, causing localized flooding. The situation is now improving due to the absence of fresh rainfall in the catchment areas.

Waterlogging in the Mathani area under Basta block, which had persisted for three days due to tidal influence, has also shown improvement. “The water level has dropped to 5.9 metres against the danger mark of 6.5 metres and is expected to fall further by evening,” Rout informed.

The department reported no major damage to dams, barrages, canals, or embankments due to the recent rainfall. Minor repair works in affected areas are expected to be completed within a couple of days.

According to official data, the highest rainfall in the past 24 hours was recorded in Satyabadi and Puri at around 105 mm, while several other areas received moderate rainfall between 40 mm and 80 mm.

“Currently, there is no flood situation in any major river,” Rout emphasized.

Meanwhile, inflow into the Hirakud reservoir has increased due to rising discharge from upstream catchments. The reservoir is currently receiving around 80,000 cusecs of water, which may rise to nearly one lakh cusecs. The present water level stands at approximately 610 feet and is likely to increase to 612–614 feet by Sunday. A decision on releasing water will be taken after reviewing the evolving situation.

At Mundali, the current flow stands at around 1.60 lakh cusecs, while upper catchment inflows are contributing nearly 2 lakh cusecs. This is expected to increase to about 2.5 lakh cusecs by Sunday morning.

Despite rising inflows, officials have ruled out any immediate flood threat.

Rout further noted that the state is preparing for another spell of monsoon rainfall expected around July 24–25, as forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Regarding reservoir storage, only one gate of the Salandi reservoir remains open, with storage at around 65%. Of the state’s 10 major reservoirs, eight currently have less than 50% storage due to insufficient rainfall in their catchment areas. Two reservoirs have storage between 50% and 75%, while Hirakud presently holds about 39–40% capacity, which is gradually increasing.

Authorities have reiterated that river levels and reservoir inflows will continue to be closely monitored in view of the anticipated rainfall in the coming days.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda