Sambalpur: Heavy rainfall in the Mahanadi basin with a low pressure area persisting over North Chhattisgarh has prompted the Hirakud Dam authorities to open four additional sluice gates for floodwater discharge.
Currently, water is being released through 20 sluice gates including 13 gates on the left spillway and seven on the right spillway to manage the significant surge in the dam’s water level.
The water level stood at 626.56 feet against its maximum storage capacity of 630 feet on Friday morning while the inflow of water into the reservoir was 2,93,512 cusec and the outflow was 2,64,129 cusec.
Heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas in Chhattisgarh has also sparked fears of a possible low flood in Mahanadi river system. Officials, however, said that there is no immediate flood threat in the Mahanadi, owing to the dam’s holding capacity.