Sambalpur, August 23: Authorities at the Hirakud Dam have opened four sluice gates to release excess water following a significant rise in inflow due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment of the Mahanadi river.
As of 9 AM on Saturday, three gates on the dam’s left side and one on the right were opened to manage the water level, which stood at 620.50 feet. The reservoir is currently receiving an inflow of 2,52,455 cusecs, while 31,525 cusecs of water is being discharged downstream.
The decision to release water was prompted by intense rainfall in the upper basin, triggered by a low-pressure system over the region. According to official data, 16.44 mm of rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours.
Officials noted that inflow into the reservoir surged sharply from 90,000 cusecs to over 2.5 lakh cusecs within a single day. In response to the rising water levels, authorities began releasing water from the dam starting at 10 AM on Saturday to maintain reservoir safety and prevent downstream flooding risks.
Further releases may be initiated depending on future inflow and weather conditions. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
