Sambalpur: Eight more sluice gates of Hirakud Dam in Odisha’s Sambalpur district were opened on Sunday after an increase in inflow of water into the reservoir.
Excess water is currently being discharged through 14 gates, including 10 on the left spillway and four on the right spillway of the dam.
“Six gates were opened. A decision to open 8 more gates has been taken since upper catchment areas of the Mahanadi is witnessing more than 30 mm average rainfall and the inflow of water into the reservoir is 200-250 lakh cusecs,” said Water Resources Department engineer-in-chief Bhakta Ranjan Mohanty.
He, however, allayed any flood threat in the state. “The rivers, including Baitarani, Budhabalanga, Bansadhara, are flowing much below the danger level. Except Malkangiri which witnessed heavy rainfall, there has been no flood-like situation at any other place,” he said.
Mohanty added that the Khairmal discharge would be around 3 lakh cusecs on Monday and the Mundali discharge will also be around 3 lakh cusecs on Tuesday.
Though the rainfall intensity in Odisha is likely to remain low till Monday, the India Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain from Tuesday.