Indravati rises, Bastar on alert

Jagdalpur | Correspondent: Torrential rains caused by the cyclonic storm 'Arnab' concern people in Bastar as it threatens the return of floods. Approximately 1.62 billion liters of water have been released into the Indravati River from Odisha's Nabarangpur Dam over a continuous 18-hour period.

According to Central Water Commission data, water was discharged from the dam at a rate of about 250,000 liters per second between Sunday night and Monday evening. This massive volume of water is expected to reach Jagdalpur and surrounding riverside rural areas at 2 AM on Wednesday, raising fears that the situation could worsen significantly.

The administration has issued a 'Red Alert' for the entire affected region. Relief and rescue operations are proceeding rapidly; so far, over 800 people have been evacuated using boats, and 12 individuals have been rescued via Air Force helicopters.

Currently, approximately 8,894 flood victims are sheltered in various relief camps. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai visited Jagdalpur on Monday to assess the situation and distributed cheques for financial assistance to the affected families.

This time, the Indravati River has shattered records set over the past 53 years. The river's water level was recorded at 12.46 meters surpassing the danger mark by 8.3 meters which exceeds the previous high of 12.18 meters recorded in 1973.

Eight people have lost their lives in this natural disaster so far. Although the water level dropped slightly as the rain paused over the last few hours, the release of water from Odisha creates a strong possibility of renewed flooding in low-lying areas, meaning it will take time for normal life to resume. Representative photo.