2,000 evacuated as dam waters flood Sambalpur city
A flooded Sambalpur on Saturday
SAMBALPUR: Around 2,000 people residing in low-lying areas of the city were shifted to flood relief centres after water entered their localities causing flood-like situation in the wake of huge discharge of water from Hirakud Dam.
Water entered many localities including Badbazar, Mandlia, Binakhandi, Durgapali, Talbhatapada, Chandan Nagar, Mining colony, Charbhati, Khandual and Limsarien, forcing authorities of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) to evacuate people residing in those areas.
SMC enforcement officer Subhankar Mohanty said the affected people are being served cooked food at the relief centres. “The centres will remain functional till the water recedes from the localities. Though we have opened 14 flood relief centres, cooked food is being served at 18 places in the city. The pumping station at Binakhandi has been functioning for more than 25 hours to drain out water into the Mahanadi. Motor pumps are being used at several other places to drain out water,” Mohanty said.
On Saturday, 7,62,195 cusecs of water was released through 46 sluice gates – 31 on the left side and 15 on the right – of Hirakud Dam.
At 5 pm on Saturday, the water level of Hirakud Dam stood at 627.17 ft against the full reservoir level of the 630 ft, considered the danger level. “There is huge inflow of water into the dam due to incessant rainfall on the upper catchment area of Hirakud Dam,” said an official of Hirakud Dam.