Odisha Govt Rejects ‘Man-Made’ Flood Allegations, Blames Record Rainfall in Ganjam

The Odisha government has rejected allegations that the recent devastating floods in Ganjam district were man-made, attributing the crisis to unprecedented rainfall over three consecutive days.

Addressing a press conference at Lok Seva Bhawan, Chief Secretary Anu Garg said Patrapur block recorded 546 mm of rainfall in a single day, surpassing the rainfall intensity witnessed during Cyclone Phailin in 2013. The cumulative rainfall was 65% higher than during Phailin, with several areas recording over 300 mm.

She said the Rushikulya and Bahuda river systems, with a combined catchment area of around 9,800 sq km, experienced massive inflows. Only 10% of the runoff enters reservoirs, while the remaining 90% flows directly into the rivers.

Clarifying concerns over dam operations, Garg said reservoir gates were opened in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and water inflow levels. At Purushottampur, river discharge reached 6,907 cumecs, nearly twice its normal carrying capacity.

She maintained that the administration prioritised dam safety and preventing loss of life, with timely evacuations ensuring zero casualties. A report submitted by a central team has also attributed the crisis to extreme weather conditions.

Meanwhile, restoration work is progressing across Ganjam and Gajapati. Nearly 99.99% of power connections have been restored, over 4,000 tube wells repaired and 408 of the 420 damaged drinking water pipeline networks restored. Canal repairs and crop damage assessments are also underway.

The government’s clarification comes amid criticism from opposition parties, which have blamed reservoir management and inadequate disaster preparedness for the scale of the floods.