Despite falling water level in Orissa rivers including the virulent Mahanadi, relief operation in flood ravaged areas was today hit due to shortage of manpower and boats, worsening the plight of over six lakh marooned people.
Miseries of the flood-hit were compounded by intermittent rains triggered by a low pressure at several coastal areas while deluge due to 61 breaches in Mahanadi delta region continued, sources said.
The only solace to the distressed was the falling water level of the swollen rivers. The volume of water flowing through Munduli near Cuttack city declined to 11.6 lakh cusecs this morning as against 12.83 lakh cusecs recorded yesterday, the flood control cell here said.
As the water level in Hirakud dam on Mahanadi near Sambalpur in Western Orissa stood at 628.52 feet against its full capacity of 630 feet, the authorities closed a large number of sluices that had been opened to drain out excess water from the reservoir.
Only eleven gates of the dam are now left open at present in view of receding water, though the level in Mahanadi near Naraj stood at 26.79 metre this morning, above the danger level of 26.41 metre, official sources said.
The water level was still above the danger level in Devi river at Ali Pingala where it was recorded at 12.32 metre against the danger mark of 11.26 metre, they said.
Though steps were taken to accelerate relief operation through air dropping of food packets and essential items in Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur districts, a large number of flood victims still remained deprived of help in the absence of adequate personnel and boats.