(Feature Image: CWC hydrograph of Melliaputti site on Mahendrathanaya river in Sirkakulam district, Andhra Pradesh)
In Oct. 2026, the first month after southwest monsoon season, we could document Highest Flood Level (HFL) breach incident at four flood monitoring sites of Central Water Commission (CWC). The final analysis of HFL breach incidents at 50 flood monitoring sites across country during southwest monsoon season 2026 can be seen here.
The Oct 2026 HFL breaching sites are located in two river basins including Ganga (2 sites) & East Flowing Rivers (EFR) basin between the Mahanadi & Pennar (2 sites). There was one site each in Uttar Pradesh, W Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states. The HFL breaches in the Ganga basin have occurred in the first week and in the EFR basin in the last week of Oct. 2026.
Table 1: Details of four HFL breach sites in Oct. 2026 Ganga Basin & EFR between Mahanadi & Pennar basin
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | Old HFL/ Date | New HFL/ Time/ Date | Rise/ Duration/ Year/ |
| 1 | Sitapur/ Sarayan | Sitapur/ Uttar Pradesh | 131.1 m/ NA | 131.13 m/ 23:00 hr/ 01.10.2026 | +0.03 m/ ~51 hrs/ NA |
| 2 | Narajole/ Shilabati | West Medinipur/ W. Bangal | 10.74 m/ 25.08.2025 | 10.88 m/ 12:00 hr/ 01.10.2026 | +0.14 m/ ~22 hrs/ 01 yr |
| 3 | Melliaputti/ Mahendrathanaya | Srikakulam/ Andhra Pradesh | 55.54 m/ 14.10.2020 | 58.9 m/ 19:00 hr/ 29.10.2026 | +3.36 m/ ~43 hrs/ 06 yrs |
| 4 | Kurula/ Godahada | Ganjam/ Odisha | 32.84 m/ 24.09.2026 | 36.4 m/ 08:00 hr/ 29.10.2026 | +3.56 m/ ~48 hrs/ 1 month |
| 32.1 m/ 29.10.2025 |
The HFLs of both the Sarayan and Shilabati rivers in the Ganga basin is crossed by narrow margins. In contrast, the Mandrathanaya and Godahada rivers in the EFR basin between the Mahanadi & Pennar breached their respective HFLs by more than 3 metres, mainly due to the impact of Cyclone Arnab.
Notably, the Godahada River at the Kurula monitoring site had attained a new HFL in Sept. 2026, which is breached again just a month later in Oct. 2026.
Rivers Flowing Close to HFL in Oct. 2026: In addition to HFL crossings at four flood monitoring sites, we could track three sites where rivers have narrowly missed breaching their respective HFLs in Oct. 2026. Again, these sites are in Ganga basin (1 site) and EFR between Mahanadi & Pennar basin (2 sites).
Table 2: River flowing close to HFL in Oct. 2026
| SN | Site/ River | District/ State | HFL/ Date | Peak Level/ Date | Gap |
| 1 | Darauli/ Ghagra | Siwan/ Bihar | 61.82 m/ 15.10.2022 | 61.69 m/ 05:00 hr/ 02.10.2026 | -0.13 m |
| 2 | Saroda/ Rushikulya | Ganjam/ Odisha | 83.21 m/ 04.11.1990 | 82.68 m/ 04:00 hr/ 29.10.2026 | -0.53 m |
| 3 | Purusottampur/ Rushikulya | Ganjam/ Odisha | 19.65 m/ 04.11.1990 | 19.26 m/ 17:00 hr/ 29.10.2026 | -0.39 m |
SANDRP
