REPORT ON FLOOD SITUATION IN ORISSA

Assessment Date & Time: 20th September 2008 up to 2 pm

Context:
The horror is continuing since last 6 days. The havoc of flood has imperiled the lives of
people in almost all coastal districts of the state. The endangering situation gripped Orissa
claiming 20 lives in different affected districts so far. Mahanadi is swelling menacingly and
began to submerge vast tracts of coastal areas carrying overwhelming 15.81 lakh cusec
water at Munduli barrage. More than 15 lakh people have been affected and over half a
million of people evacuated to safer places till now as Mahanadi is surpassing more and
more flood water to its tributaries with an alarming speed. The devastation has expanded
its fury to 16 districts of Orissa and affected 5000 villages of 78 blocks. Four coastal
districts, namely, 1. Kendrapara, 2. Jagatsinghpur, 3. Cuttack and 4. Puri are in the
valley of panic where the situation is untold. The other 12 districts disrupted from main
stream of life are:
5. Bhadrak
6. Jajpur
7. Keonjhar
8. Gajapati
9. Nayagarh
10. Sambalpur
11. Balasore
12. Bolangir
13. Boudh
14. Sonepur
15. Kalahandi
16. Rayagada

It has apprehended that a major flood is going to make the panic in aforesaid 4 coastal
districts of Orissa as a huge volume of water is heading down-streams in Mahanadi system.
It is estimated that nearly 16 lakh cusec of water would pass through the Mahanadi near
Cuttack by next 12 hours which indicates that vast areas in the districts will be submerged
by this uncontrolled water flow.

Present Alarming Situation:

The water level at Hirakud has reached the full reservoir level of 630 feet which has
forced the authorities to open 40 gates to release floodwater. As the result, 15.81 lakh
cusec water at Munduli barrage is being surpassed and it is expected that around 9 lakh
cusec uncontrolled water will be released at Naraj.
The state Disaster Management Department said one lakh fifty thousand people were
evacuated and many others have taken shelter in hillocks and school and office buildings.
40 of the 64 sluice gates of Hirakud dam on the river were opened to discharge excess
inflow.
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The Major Areas of Grave Concern:

Cuttack - Mahanadi is flowing over the danger level at Naraj, while its branch river
Kathjodi is also flowing over the danger mark at Bellevue gauge station near Cuttack.
Lakhs of people have been marooned in Banki and Athgarh areas of Cuttack district. Road
communication between Cuttack and Banki has been snapped due to a breach. Thousands
of people fled their homes to safer places in most areas of the district to save their lives.
Around 7 blocks of the district including Banki, Athagarh and Narasinghpur have been
highly affected where people of 78 GPs and 255 villages are suffering very acute
difficulties.

Due to overwhelming water surpassing from Mahanadi there has been disruptions in the
way of Cuttack to Sambalpur. 42mauja of the region have completely been detached from
other parts of the district. As per the present assumption, there are more than 15
thousand people marooned in the locality of Cuttack Sadar. 5000 households are in panic
because of the breakage in gheribandh at Kantapada block. River Devi and Kandal are
above the danger signal of 2 feet which threatening the lives in Niali block and made
number of villages away from mainstream of communication.

Jajpur - Nearly 2.8 lakh people of 387 villages under 89 GPs of 8 blocks in Jajpur district
have been affected by the flood. At many places road communication has been snapped as
flood water of Baitarani, Brahmani, Birupa and Genguti flows severely. Particularly 30
villages of Barchana block have been highly disrupted. Flood water from Brahmani and
Baitarani has entered many villages in Korei, Dasarathpur and Bari block. Over 50 thousand
people of 100 villages in these blocks have been marooned so far.

Kendrapara - Surging water in the river, namely, Brahmani, Luna, Govari, Birupa,
Chitrotpala, Paika, Kani, Baitarani and Kharasrota have been inundated large areas in 7
blocks of the district, namely, Rajkanika, Rajnagar, Marsaghai, Mahakalpara, Pattamundai,
Aul and Garadapur. All the above mentioned rivers flowing at the maximum point of 4 feet
high from danger. Around 8000 people in 14 villages of Mahakalpara block are marooned in
the water circle and above 2000 people have taken shelter at some safer places in Patkura
block.

Jagatsinghpur - Life is in danger at almost all parts of Jagatsinghpur district and the
situation is worsening from time to time as the surging water of rivers like; Devi, Kandal
and Biluakhai are swelling menacingly. The water flow is very furious at the point of
Alipingal which has been measured at 12.62 crossing the danger point at 11.76. The most
sensitive point of devastation is at Daleighai, where water flows at a height of 61.60
crossing the danger mark of 57 feet. Most part of the Machhagaon and Balikuda areas are
also submerged in flood water.

Puri - The situation in almost all parts of Puri district has become a grave concern on
survival of human life. The major rivers of the district like; Kushabhadra, Bhargavi, Daya,
Dhanua, Kuakhai, Rajua, Makara and Prachi are flowing severely after crossing the level of
danger point. Balianta, Balipatna, Nimapara, Gop, Astarang, Kakatpur, Pipili, Kanas and
Delanga areas are highly submerged by the water flow of the rivers.

Nayagarh - The swollen Mahanadi has inundated 150 villages mostly in Gania, Khandapada
and Bhapur blocks. People have taken shelter in nearby schools, temples and other safer
places to save their family. Around 20000 domestic animals have been away from their
respective locality. The entire 25 km stretch along the Mahanadi from Rasanga to
Chhamundia has been flooded marooning 30 villages. Road connection between Gania and
Chhamundia has been snapped as 7 feet water flowing on the road. Kantilo has been cut
off from all sides of communication. Apart from this, vast stretches of agricultural land in
Gania, Khandapara and Bhapur blocks have been submerged.

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Sonepur - As per the latest information received from the district, the flood situation has
affected 6 blocks and 3 urban pockets of the district. Total 5500 population from 234
villages in 38 Gram Panchayats severely affected. Total 6608 numbers of houses damaged
where 778 houses fully, 3741 houses marginally and 2089 houses partly damaged. 15000
hector of crop area affected in the flood. Shelter camps are opening in different areas of
the district. Some of them are as below:

Tarbha Block : Tarbha, Menda and Kansira

Sonepur Block : Sonepur Municipality
Ulunda Block : Ulunda
B.M.Pur Block : Birmaharajpur and Subalaya

As per the information received at this end, Boudh district has been cut off from rest part
of the state and many places in southern districts of Gajapati, Bolangir, Kalahandi and
Rayagada has been out of bounds as flood water from local rivers submerged almost all
means of communications. Sambalpur town has also been submerged by water discharged
from Hirakud dam and vested people to live in incommunicable surroundings. Visualizing
these dreaded situations there is an imperative need of interventions to save the victims
at large.

Consolidated figures of the Havoc

(as on 20.9.2007 up to 2 pm ):

No. of Districts – 16

No. of Blocks – 78

No. of Villages – 2700

No. of death case – 20

No. of people affected – 16 lakhs

No. of people evacuated – 50 thousand

Loss of agricultural crops – 40 thousand
hectare

No. of household damages – 6417

No. of livestock loss - 3000

Comparison:
All eyes are now centered on massive release of water in the Mahanadi river system. 16.20
lakh cuses water at Muduli and 15.81 lakh cusec water flowing has erased all the past
records which was highest in 1982. The projected magnitude of water release will
certainly hit Munduli in Cuttack district which drags the attention back to the catastrophe
seen of past years:

In 1982, when the state faced its worst flood, the quantity of water discharge was
15.84 Cusec.

In the year 2001, it was 14.00 Cusec

In the year 2003, water release was 13.05 Cusec
According to the comparison above, it is assumed that similar situation in 1982 or more
than that likely to be happened in these 4 districts as Government has estimated to 16
lakh cusec release of water.

An Overview of Flood Affected Districts:

Flood havoc has swiped away many villages and number of households mostly in 4 coastal
district along with Gajapati, Bolangir, Boudh and Rayagada in southern region. Not only
the force of Mahanadi is threatened to get out of control but other rivers like; Brahmani,
Baitarani, Budhabalanga and Bansadhara has already crossed the danger level at their
existence. As far information received from different source by this time the situation is
analyzed as follows:

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 No. of Total
Sl. Villag Population Death
No District Block GP e Affected & Case in Total
. Affect Evacuated the
ed Dist.
Rajnagar 4 GPs viz; 20 10000/
Kandira, 4935
Satabhaiya,
Rangani &
Gupti 372 villages
Rajkanika 2 GPs viz; 2 of 39 GPs
Jayanagar & 2 scattered
Baradia in these 7
1. KENDRAPARA Mahakalpara 4 GPs viz; 17 8000/2000 blocks
Batighara,
Kharinashi,
Baulakani &
Ramanagar
Marshaghai
Pattamundai
Aul
Garadapur
Binjharpur Kapila
Bari 29
Korei 11 GPs viz;
Asanajhar,
Ranpur,
Gaurpur,
Barundai,
Amrutia,
Mukundpur,
Karda,
6 blocks
Goleipur,
and 18 GPs
2. JAJPUR Badabirua, 6
have been
Panikoili &
affected
Khamana
Badachana 2 GPs viz; 9 2508/
Mahisara &
Samparu
Dharmasala 2 GPs viz; 10
Neulpur,
Mahisara &
Harirajpur
Rasulpur 1 GP i.e.
Odisho
Bhandaripokh 8 82 12,500/
ari
3. BHADRAK Dhamnagar 26 310 2845/ 3
Tihidi 8 90 3150/
Basudevpur 10 72 3675/
Basta 2 GPs viz. 7
Ganagadhar
pur,
4. BALASORE
Sadanandpu
r
Bahanaga Aruabad 1
Erasama 9 – Dhinkia, 3 172 villages
Nuagaon, expected
Gadakujang to be
JAGATSINGHP a, submerged
5. 4
UR Kunjakothi, . 86 Power
Japa, Boats &
Ambiki, 125 County
Gadabishun Boats are
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 No. of Total
Sl. Villag Population Death
No District Block GP e Affected & Case in Total
. Affect Evacuated the
ed Dist.
pur,
Gadaharishp
ur &
Padmapur
Kujanga 4 – Bagadia, /2000
Fatepur, evacuated
Gandakipur
& Nuagarh in use to
Kothi rescue the
Mahanga 3 – Haladia, 9 people.
Paikarapur, Still there
Pomamarai is need of
Tirtola 7– rescue
Gopalpur, operation.
Bainal,
Kanimul,
Bisanpur,
Kolar,
Samantarap
ur,
Korgagadei
Raghunathpu Babujangha, 12
r Manijangha,
Mahammad
& Uttarkula
Sadar 3
Niali 8–
Baharana,
Nibharana,
Pokharigaon
, Binishpur,
Krushnapras
6. CUTTACK
ad, Bilasuni,
Anlo &
Jalarpur
Tangi- 4 – Salgaon, 28
Choudwar Nakhara,
Harianta &
Agrahat
Salepur Rameswar 1
7. RAYAGADA Gudari
Gunupur
Boudh NAC Khaliabagich
a, Irrigation
Colony
8. BOUDH Harbhanga
Kantamala
Puruna Krushnamoh
Cuttack anpur
9. Hatadihi 2 /900
KEONJHAR
evacuated
10. SAMBALPUR Urban 9000/1000
11. Kashinagar 3– 6 3500/1500 -
Khandwa,
GAJAPATI
Godra &
Baribandha
12. Balianta,
PURI Balipatna,
Nimapara,
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 No. of Total
Sl. Villag Population Death
No District Block GP e Affected & Case in Total
. Affect Evacuated the
ed Dist.
Gop,
Astarang,
Kakatpur,
Pipili, Kanas,
Delang
13. Gania, 150
Kantilo,
NAYAGARH
Bhapur and
Khandapada
* Some fields are blank due to non-availability of information.
This time, flood has so far affected 16 districts of the state, namely, Kendrapara, Cuttack,
Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Keonjhar, Boudh, Sambalpur, Gajapati and
Rayagada.

Current Situation of Affected Areas:

Lives of people are very miserable and the victims are battling for survival. Evacuation of
people living in low-lying areas has been carried out by the Government, still a large
number of people yet to be evacuated as all the roads and other ways has been disrupted
to access them.

Food & Clothing:

Relief provided by the government is not reaching at every point of the affected regions.
Somewhere the quantity of food and cloth is scarcely available. People are hungry since
last 6 days. Particularly the children in most of the affected areas are suffering from acute
hunger. Clothes and other materials at the shelter are not being adequate to the people.

Education:
Number of school buildings have been collapsed and lot of other infrastructures lost due to
the havoc. All schools in the above regions have been closed since last 3 days and the
teachers have been ordered to help in relief and rescue operation.

Health:
People, particularly the children are suffering from diarrhea, fever and other waterborne
diseases during these days due to water pollution. Safe drinking water is nowhere
available. Almost all water sources are submerged. People are using the flood water
without any scope to purify. Health care service provided by the Government is not being
adequate to serve all the affected people.

Agriculture & Livestock:

In most of the above regions agricultural crops have been fully damaged which has broken
economical backbone of the people. The lives of domestic animals and other livestock are
very miserable to see from back and forth. Number of animals have lost their lives and
some who survived are still in the water circle as all the routes to come out has been
disconnected.

Immediate Need of Interventions:

Provision of sufficient food and cloth

Provision of safe drinking water

Provision of materials for establishment of temporary shelters

Provision of basic Health Care Service to eradicate flood-raised diseases

Provision of financial assistance for reconstruction of their damaged houses.

Source of Information: 1. OSDMA & SRC, Govt. of Orissa 2. District level Emergency
Officers 3. Field functionaries of BISWA
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