Bhubaneswar, Sept 19 : The death toll in the current rain and flood has gone up to twelve in Orissa.

Three children were washed away in Tel river in Subarnapur district.

According to the state Disaster Management department, the water level in Mahanadi river system is steadily rising though rainfall has stopped in upper and lower catchments.

Evacuation operation has been launched on a big scale to shift the residents of low-lying areas to safer places.

As many as 26 gates of the Hirakud dam on Mahanadi have been opened for quick discharge of water as the level in the reservoir reached its full capacity of 630 feet, official sources said.

Inflow of water into the reservoir was recorded at 4.6 lakh cusec this morning, while an equal volume was being drained out through the sluice gates.

A major flood in Mahanadi was thereby threatening the delta region as huge volume of water inundated the plains.

As a precautionary measure the Orissa government has ordered closure of all schools and colleges in flood affected region for next two days.

Heavy rains have lashed Orissa since Saturday due to low pressure over the Bay of Bengal. (ANI)