More rain likely to add to Odisha’s misery

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Aug 8: Even as the flood affected people waited for relief in many areas of Odisha on Friday, more rain in most parts of the State was likely to add to the people’s misery over the next few days.According to the Bhubaneswar Metrological Centre, rain/thundershower would occur at most places over Odisha during the next 24 hours.Heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur at one or two places over North Odisha, the Centre said on Friday evening.Meanwhile, lakhs of people remained marooned in the worst affected areas in the districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur.Even though relief material was available with the administration making them reach the marooned villages remained a daunting task primarily due to shortage of boats.The situation was bad in Bari block of Jajpur and Kanas block of Puri.The situation in the Mahanadi delta region remained grim even as water level in the river and its branch rivers had started receding by Friday afternoon. Though there was no chance of a high flood in the river, huge volumes of water (about 11 lakh cusecs) was being released at Naraj and Mundali because as many as 30 gates of Hirakud reservoir was still open till Friday evening. Mahanadi was also flowing above the danger level at Naraj, while Baitarani was flowing above the danger mark at Swampatna, according to Water Resources Department of the State Government.While heavy rainfall was likely to the aggravate the flood situation in North Odisha, more rainfall in the Mahanadi delta was likely to add to the misery of the affected people as they would find it difficult to come out of their houses.Though there was respite from rain in the coastal districts during the day on Friday, it started raining in Bhubaneswar and other places in the evening.