Flood and Cyclone in Coastal Orissa

Abstract

The flood and cyclone in coastal Orissa are the regular features. The rivers in the coastal region have the characteristics of deltaic rivers .The rivers and the existing escapes are without continuos embankments . The average ground profile and bed slope of rivers varies from 1 in 5000 to 1 in 6000.Therefore flood used to pass over plains and get released to sea with little submergence depths.When the rivers are in spate and there is even little rainfall in the locality ,than the protected areas get flooded by local rain water .The problem becomes more acute when the flood arises due to cyclonic storm. Coastal Orissa falls in the path of severe cyclonic storm originating in the Bay of Bengal , so there is concentration of run off due to heavy rainfall brought in by cyclonic storm in short duration. The unprecedented cyclonic gale ,torrential precipitation , high flood,tidal ingress and stagnation causes untold miseries. Proposal of cyclone shelters, coastal highway , iridium-phones ,Conservation of declining mangrove and other forests ,afforestation and drainage improvements are the main need in the area. Improvements of saline and other embankments , de-silting of the mouths of channels and rivers and additional ventage to the roads and cross drainage structures have been advocated . Proper forecasting and other curative measures with proper Disaster Management programme can mitigate the flood and cyclone to a great extent.