Ganjam Floods Triggered by Record Rainfall, Not Human Error: Odisha Government
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has clarified that the recent floods in Ganjam district were caused by unprecedented rainfall and not by reservoir mismanagement, countering allegations that human intervention aggravated the disaster.
Addressing concerns over the flooding, Anu Garg, Chief Secretary of Odisha, presented data indicating that the Rushikulya and Bahuda river systems experienced exceptionally high flows following three consecutive days of intense rainfall.
According to official figures, Patrapur block recorded 546 mm of rainfall in a single day, surpassing precipitation levels witnessed during Cyclone Phailin in 2013.
The cumulative rainfall during the recent weather event was reported to be significantly higher than that recorded during the cyclone, resulting in massive runoff and river overflow.
The state government explained that only a limited portion of the basin’s runoff enters reservoirs, while the majority flows directly into river channels.
Officials maintained that reservoir gates were operated in accordance with standard safety protocols and were not responsible for the flooding.
At Purushottampur, river discharge reportedly reached 6,907 cubic metres per second, nearly double the river’s carrying capacity, highlighting the severity of the rainfall-induced flood situation.
The Chief Secretary emphasised that the government’s priority was to prevent loss of life through timely evacuations and emergency response measures.
Recovery operations have since restored power supply to nearly all affected consumers, repaired thousands of tube wells, and reinstated most damaged water supply networks.
The state also noted that findings from a central assessment team supported the conclusion that the flooding resulted from extraordinary weather conditions rather than any human-made factors.
