Flood situation eases in Orissa

The high-flood situation in the Mahanadi river system in Orissa did not cause as much damage as feared even though the rivers were flowing above their danger levels.

"I don't think the flood would be as devastating as was apprehended. Whatever volume of water had to pass through Mundali, a strategic discharge point of the Mahanadi, had flowed down to the lower end. We don't expect more water to come," Special Relief Commissioner Jagadananda Panda told PTI in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

"Though the next three hours are critical for Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, not much damage to life and property is apprehended," Panda said adding, that Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force was kept ready at different places to meet any eventuality.

The absence of high tide in the sea as also a 48-hour dry spell in the lower catchment of the river in the aftermath of very heavy falls greatly helped in the improvement of the situation, he said.

Though water level in different rivers were well over danger level, the administration expressed confidence that the water would recede as the day progressed.

Altogether, a population of 7.5 lakh from 170 villages across 10 districts had been affected by the fourth round of heavy rains that occurred in the state in the last two months, the SRC said.

"The intensity of flood damage was much less than we witnessed in 2003 in which 35 lakh people were affected in nine districts," Panda said.