Bhubaneswar: Amid a rise in water level due to recent showers triggered by a low-pressure system on July 9, the authorities of Hirakud Dam in Odisha’s Sambalpur district on Saturday decided to release this season’s first floodwater from the dam into the Mahanadi at 11 am on July 18.
Five gates will be opened in the first phase to release the floodwaters. There are 64 sluice gates including 24 on the right and 40 on the left side of the dam.
According to Water Resources Department, the water level in the reservoir stood at 603.77 ft against the optimum level of 630 ft on Friday. Besides Hirakud, upper and lower Indravati, Balimela, Machkund and Salandi also recorded a rise in the water level.
The MeT office has also issued orange warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places in Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Boudh, Balangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Angul during the next 24 hours.
