Bhubaneswar: Two more gates of Hirakud Dam in Odisha’s Sambalpur district were opened on Friday afternoon, taking the total to 14, heavy rainfall and rising water inflows in the catchment areas of the Mahanadi basin.
Floodwater is currently being discharged from nine sluice gates on the left spillway and five on the right spillway. The sustained release of water from the dam is expected to further raise the water level in the Mahanadi river downstream.
The district administration has urged people residing in low-lying areas along the river to remain alert and take necessary precautions.
At 9 am, the reservoir level stood at 624.52 feet against its full storage capacity of 630 feet amid continued inflows. The dam was receiving approximately 386,272 cusecs of water per second, while about 65,924 cusecs were being released downstream, which only two gates were opened.
Meanwhile, a medium flood situation has now developed in the Mahanadi. By 12 noon, a water flow of 8.65 lakh cusecs was recorded at Munduli. The Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department, Dileep Raut, informed that by evening it will remain around 8.50 lakh cusecs.
The state water resources authorities have assured that that the overall flood situation at Mundali Barrage on the Mahanadi was under control and the delta region was entirely secure.
While assessing conditions at the barrage, the Additional Chief Engineer reassured reporters that despite additional gates opening at Hirakud Dam, controlled gate operations would smoothly manage water levels without overwhelming downstream areas. “Everything is completely under control, and the water levels have started falling down. There is no issue at present. Water flow is around 8.65 lakh cusecs; with gates operational, water discharge is being managed effectively, and conditions are steadily improving,” he said.
At 11 am, the river gauge at Naraj in Kataka district recorded 26.48 metres, slightly above the danger mark of 26.41 metres.
The official noted that higher authorities have instructed engineering teams and field personnel to remain vigilant and maintain continuous monitoring throughout the duration of the discharge. “The entire delta area is secure right now, and no untoward incidents or breaches have been reported. Our teams are stationed and on high alert at all critical border points to monitor the situation round the clock,” he added.
Notably, the state has received 647.4 mm rains against the normal average of 338.3 mm between July 1 -July 31, registering a surplus of 91.4%.