The Odisha government has alerted the districts in the Mahanadi delta area as it apprehends a “medium” flood in the river system following heavy rains for three consecutive days in the state due to a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, an official said on Thursday.

The administration has estimated that 9.5 lakh cusec of water will flow at Mundali near Cuttack by Thursday evening, up from 8.28 lakh cusec at about 12 noon, water resources department chief engineer Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty told reporters.

Thursday night is crucial for Cuttack, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Puri districts located in the Mahandi delta area, he said.

The state special relief commissioner Satyabrata Sahu has meanwhile alerted the collectors of these districts along with those of Angul and Nayagarh to take precautionary measures and guard weak embankments. He has also rushed NDRF, ODRAF and fire services teams in 15 districts for rescue operations.

“We are anticipating a small to medium-range flood in the Mahanadi river system as the upper catchment areas near Barmul have received a huge amount of water. By 12 noon of Thursday around 8.28 lakh cusec water was flowing and it has been on a rising trend. We expect the volume of flow will increase to 9.5 lakh cusec by evening. The flood water is likely to reach the districts of Kendrapara, Jagastinghpur and Puri by Friday morning,” Mohanty said.

As many as 3,000 people have so far been evacuated to safer places. More people will be shifted from low-lying areas in the districts of the delta region.

The SRC has asked the districts’ authorities and the water resources department to ensure 24×7 patrolling of vulnerable river embankments with the support of the local police, officials said.

The authorities have asked the people not to visit certain temples in the Badamba area in Cuttack district and have clamped Section 144 CrPC at Singhanatha Temple and Maa Bhattarika Pitha in view of the heavy flow of water in the Mahanadi river.

Water resources department officials said the water level is also rising in rivers across Odisha, other than Mahanadi due to the incessant rains during the past two days.