Odisha News Today

Bhubaneswar: The flood emergency in Nabarangpur has taken a dangerous new turn. While the Indravati at the Nabarangpur Base station is yet to reach its historic 1973 flood peak, an upstream station at Ghatakusumi has already breached its Highest Flood Level (HFL) and is witnessing an extraordinary flash-flood surge. The latest Central Water Commission hydrograph at Ghatakusumi shows the water level shooting up in a near-vertical rise and moving above the historical red HFL (Highest Flood Level) line. More alarming, the river is rising at around 40 cm per hour . That changes the flood calculation for Nabarangpur town. The huge flood wave now surging through the upper river system will progressively compound the flood pressure downstream. At the Nabarangpur Base station, the Indravati was at 557.395 metres at 8 pm on Sunday , just 0.355 metres below its Danger Level of 557.75 metres and 1.935 metres below its all-time Highest Flood Level of 559.33 metres , recorded on July 7, 1973 . With the CWC already warning of an above-normal flood , an upstream station already breaching its historical flood level and the IMD's Red Warning for extremely heavy rainfall still in force, the question confronting Nabarangpur is no longer whether floodwaters will rise further. The bigger question now is: Will the compounding flood wave push the Indravati at Nabarangpur town beyond its historic 1973 level? Ghatakusumi Breach Changes the Flood Picture Until now, the focus was largely on the rapidly rising water level at the Nabarangpur Base station. But the latest hydrograph from Ghatakusumi provides the first major indication of how severe the flood generation is in the upper catchment. Unlike the relatively steady rise at Nabarangpur town, Ghatakusumi has witnessed what appears to be a flash-flood explosion . The river level has surged almost vertically, crossed its historical HFL and is continuing to rise at an extraordinary pace. A rise of around 40 cm per hour indicates that an enormous volume of local runoff is moving through the upper tributary system. This is crucial because Ghatakusumi and Nabarangpur Base are not showing two unrelated flood events. They represent two stages of the same developing hydrological crisis. At Ghatakusumi, the flood is being driven by a sudden and violent flash-runoff response from the upper catchment. At Nabarangpur town, that water is expected to progressively accumulate into the main Indravati channel, adding to the floodwaters already generated by intense rainfall in the downstream and local catchment. Two Stations, Two Flood Behaviours The contrast between the two stations explains why the Nabarangpur situation could worsen even if the river rise at the Base station appears relatively less explosive. At Ghatakusumi , the flood is behaving like a classic flash flood. The upper catchment has generated a sudden surge that has already overwhelmed the river's historical flood benchmark. At Nabarangpur Base , the flood is behaving as a compounded mainstem flood. Water from upstream locations and tributaries gradually travels downstream, joining the local runoff and filling the main Indravati channel. This means the Nabarangpur hydrograph can initially appear to rise more steadily than Ghatakusumi even as the larger flood wave continues to build. The upstream surge is therefore a major warning signal for what may still be coming downstream. The 1973 Shadow Has Become More Serious For Nabarangpur, the historic benchmark remains 559.33 metres , the Highest Flood Level recorded at the Base station on July 7, 1973 . As of 8 pm on Sunday, the river stood at 557.395 metres . The remaining gap of 1.935 metres is still significant. Therefore, it cannot be stated as a certainty that the 1973 record will be breached. But the flood scenario has changed sharply after Ghatakusumi crossed its own historical HFL. The Indravati at Nabarangpur is already: 1.645 metres above its Warning Level of 555.75 metres Just 0.355 metres below its Danger Level of 557.75 metres Rising towards the historic 559.33-metre HFL Receiving the combined impact of intense local runoff and the developing upstream flood wave The CWC's above-normal flood forecast and the Red Warning for extremely heavy rainfall add another layer of uncertainty. If the extreme rainfall continues and the upstream flood wave reaches Nabarangpur at a time when the main channel is already close to danger level, the 1973 benchmark could come under serious challenge. 189 mm Rainfall Has Already Triggered Massive Runoff The hydrological response is being driven by exceptional rainfall across Nabarangpur district. Over the past 24 hours, Nabarangpur block received 189 mm rainfall . Tentulikhunti also recorded 189 mm , while Paparahandi received 175 mm . Such rainfall over a short duration is enough to rapidly convert local streams and tributaries into high-velocity flood channels. The Red Warning now raises the risk of another burst of intense rainfall over catchments that have already produced a massive runoff response. This creates a dangerous compounding cycle: Extreme Rainfall → Flash Runoff in Upper Catchment → Ghatakusumi Breaches HFL → Flood Wave Moves Downstream → Main Indravati Swells at Nabarangpur → Further Rainfall Adds Fresh Runoff Will Upper Indravati Open Spillway Gates? The spillway question has now become more serious, but the latest flood data must be read carefully. The Upper Indravati reservoir still has considerable physical storage space. Its water level is at 635.68 metres , against the Full Reservoir Level of 642 metres , leaving around 6.32 metres of headroom . The available storage cushion is about 67,758 hectare metres . However, the reservoir is rising. Inflow is around 751.19 cumecs , while the total outflow is only 14.10 cumecs , largely through power and canal operations. The reservoir's present storage level means an immediate spillway opening cannot be assumed merely from the available capacity figures. But the situation is no longer static. The new factor is the extreme upstream flash flood . If the rapidly rising flood wave represented at Ghatakusumi is part of the reservoir's effective catchment response, or if further extreme rainfall sharply increases inflow into Upper Indravati, the reservoir could start filling its available cushion much faster than current storage percentages suggest. That would increase pressure on dam operators to make a decision on controlled releases. A Difficult Operational Choice The reservoir authorities are effectively facing a flood-management dilemma. On one side, they have a substantial storage cushion and would ideally want to absorb as much incoming floodwater as possible, especially because the downstream Indravati is already critically high. On the other side, they cannot allow a rapidly accelerating inflow to consume the available flood cushion so quickly that a much larger release becomes necessary later. A controlled, precautionary release – if operationally required – would therefore be intended to manage reservoir safety and future inflow pressure. But it would come at a time when the downstream river is already carrying an extreme flood load. The key operational question will be whether the incoming flood volume, combined with the Red Warning forecast, begins to exceed the reservoir's projected ability to safely absorb the next flood surge. If inflows accelerate sharply over the next several hours, controlled spillway operations may become increasingly likely. However, the timing, number of gates and discharge volume would depend on real-time reservoir inflow, rainfall and the official dam operation protocol. Why Gate Opening Could Worsen the Downstream Crisis The biggest concern is the condition of the river downstream. At Nabarangpur, the Indravati is already only 36 cm below the Danger Level . At Ghatakusumi, historical flood levels have already been breached. In such a situation, any major additional release into an already swollen downstream system could increase inundation risks in vulnerable riverside areas. This is why the reservoir operators will have to balance two competing priorities: Hold water to avoid worsening the downstream flood immediately – or release water in a controlled manner to preserve sufficient safety cushion against a potentially much larger incoming flood wave. The answer will depend on how the inflow behaves through the night. The Next 12 Hours Are Now Critical The Red Warning makes the next 12 hours potentially decisive. If rainfall weakens and the upstream flood wave begins to flatten, Nabarangpur may avoid the worst-case scenario. But if another spell of extremely heavy rainfall hits the upper catchment while the Ghatakusumi flood surge is still moving downstream, the Indravati at Nabarangpur could rise much faster than the present hydrograph suggests. The immediate sequence to watch is: Ghatakusumi Extreme Flood → Downstream Flood Wave Propagation → Nabarangpur Danger Level Breach → Additional Rainfall Runoff → Rising Reservoir Inflow → Possible Controlled Spillway Decision For now, the historic 1973 record has already been breached at Ghatakusumi , though the Nabarangpur Base station has not yet reached its own historic peak. 1973 Not Yet at Nabarangpur, But the Flood Has Entered a New Phase The situation at Nabarangpur can no longer be assessed only through the Base station gauge. The upstream breach of the historical flood level at Ghatakusumi suggests that the upper river system has already entered an extreme flood phase. Nabarangpur town is now facing a compounded threat from three directions: Its own intense local runoff The downstream arrival of the upstream flood wave The possibility of further extreme rainfall under the Red Warning The spillway decision at Upper Indravati could become a fourth pressure point if reservoir inflow accelerates sharply. The river at Nabarangpur is yet to repeat the historic flood level of 559.33 metres recorded on July 7, 1973 . But the margin for comfort is rapidly shrinking. Ghatakusumi has already crossed its historic flood benchmark. Nabarangpur is just centimetres below danger level. The Red Warning is still active. And a major upstream flood wave is now moving through the Indravati system. The flood clock for Nabarangpur has entered its most critical phase. 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Bhubaneswar: For years, a runny nose, sneezing and blocked nose in a toddler could mean a quick visit to the medicine cabinet for a popular cold syrup. But that advice has now changed. The Indian drug regulator has tightened restrictions on the fixed-dose combination of chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride , directing that medicines containing the combination must not be used in children below four years of age. The move covers all formulations, including syrups, drops and liquid suspensions. The reason is simple: these medicines may offer symptom relief to adults, but the benefit-risk equation changes sharply in toddlers. A growing body of clinical evidence found little evidence that the combination meaningfully improves common-cold symptoms in very young children, while the risks of serious side effects and accidental dosing errors remain significant. The restriction affects several familiar brands, depending on their formulation and composition, including T-Minic, Maxtra, Ascoril Flu, Solvin Cold/Solvin Cold AF, Sinarest Pediatric, Wikoryl AF, Febrex Plus/Febrex Plus AF and Delcon . However, parents should check the composition on the specific product pack because brand formulations can vary. How the combination works in adults The fixed-dose combination brings together two different medicines. Chlorpheniramine maleate is an antihistamine. It works by blocking histamine receptors, helping reduce a runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes. In adults, it can provide noticeable relief from these symptoms, although drowsiness is a common side effect. Phenylephrine hydrochloride is intended to act as a decongestant by constricting blood vessels in the nasal passages, theoretically reducing swelling and easing nasal blockage. But recent clinical evaluations have raised a major question over how well oral phenylephrine actually works, with modern reviews finding it may be no more effective than placebo for nasal congestion when taken orally. That means the combination is not a cure for the common cold. The medicines do not kill the virus or shorten the life of the infection. They are designed only to provide temporary relief from symptoms while the body's immune system clears the viral infection. Why toddlers are different The problem is not simply that toddlers receive a smaller dose. Young children process medicines differently, and multi-ingredient cold preparations can create risks that are disproportionate to their limited benefit. Chlorpheniramine can cause excessive sedation and, in severe cases, central nervous system and breathing problems. In some children, antihistamines can also trigger paradoxical agitation or convulsions. Phenylephrine, meanwhile, can stimulate the cardiovascular system and may lead to rapid heart rate and blood-pressure fluctuations. The risks become more complicated when multiple ingredients are packed into one liquid medicine, increasing the possibility of confusion and accidental overdose. For toddlers, therefore, the central question became: why expose a child to multiple active drugs when studies show little evidence of meaningful improvement in an uncomplicated common cold? The studies that changed the debate The regulatory rethink did not happen overnight. Systematic reviews, including a Cochrane review of antihistamine-decongestant-analgesic combinations for the common cold, found insufficient evidence of effectiveness in young children. The evidence suggested that any possible benefit in adults did not translate into a meaningful clinical advantage for toddlers. Earlier randomised clinical trials had also reached a similar conclusion. In one cited trial involving young children with acute colds, children receiving an antihistamine-decongestant combination did not show clinically significant improvement over those receiving placebo or no treatment. Global regulatory reviews added another layer of concern. Safety assessments highlighted serious adverse events in young children, with multi-ingredient formulations also creating a greater risk of dosing mistakes. The concern was therefore not just whether the medicines worked, but whether their limited benefits justified their potential harms. From recommended use in 2015 to tighter restrictions in 2026 The combination of chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride was officially approved for use in India in 2015 and subsequently became widely used for common-cold and allergy symptoms, including in paediatric formulations. But the regulatory approach gradually changed as safety and efficacy concerns mounted. In December 2023 , CDSCO issued a major safety advisory warning against the use of specific strengths of the combination in children below four years. In April 2025 , the government issued a formal notification further restricting specific configurations of the combination for toddlers. By August 2026 , the latest restriction was extended across formulations, including oral drops and liquid suspensions, effectively closing the remaining gaps for children below four years. In other words, a medicine combination that had been accepted and widely used for years was gradually reassessed as clinical evidence and safety concerns forced regulators to re-examine whether toddlers were actually benefiting from it. Not a ban on adults – but a clear warning for parents The restriction does not mean that every medicine containing these ingredients has disappeared from the market. Such formulations may still be available for older children and adults, subject to approved indications and labelling. But for children below four, the message is now clear: a fixed-dose combination of chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride should not be used. Manufacturers are required to carry the warning that the fixed-dose combination shall not be used in children below four years of age. For parents, the safest first step is to check the composition , not just the brand name, on a cold or cough syrup bottle. If both chlorpheniramine maleate and phenylephrine hydrochloride are listed, it should not be given to a child below four. Parents should instead consult a paediatrician for age-appropriate treatment. The larger lesson is that common cold medicines can make an adult feel better without curing the virus – and a drug combination that may be acceptable for an adult is not automatically safe or useful for a toddler.