Water released from Odisha's Hirakud Dam, high alert in downstream areas

With the Hirakud Dam authorities releasing the season's first flood water in the river Mahanadi, the Odisha government on Sunday asked collectors of seven downstream districts to be on high alert and tell people not to go near the riverbank, officials said. After customary puja, the dam authorities opened sluice gate number seven followed by others. A total of 20 gates will be opened in three phases 7 gates at 9.30 am, another 7 at 12.30 pm and the remaining 6 gates at 2.30 pm, to flush out excess water amid heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas and the inflow of water into the reservoir. The water level of Hirakud stood at 616.93 ft against its full reservoir capacity of 630 feet, at 6 am. While the inflow of water into the reservoir was 3,16,000 cusec, the outflow was 40,126 cusec. The state government in a release said that due to the opening of 20 gates, the Khairmal discharge would be around 4.50 lakh cusecs by 8 am on July 29 and the Mundali discharge will be around 5 .