Hirakud Dam Opens 20 Gates Amid Rising Water Levels

Authorities at Hirakud Dam have opened 20 sluice gates to release excess floodwater following heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas.

The move, taken on Saturday afternoon, increased the dam’s discharge capacity to over 3.66 lakh cusecs.

Currently, 13 gates on the left spillway and 7 on the right spillway are operational.

At 3:00 PM, the reservoir level stood at 629.21 feet, showing a gradual decline.

Inflow was recorded at 1.34 lakh cusecs, while outflow surged past 2.99 lakh cusecs before the additional gates were opened.

The discharge breakdown includes 3.27 lakh cusecs through the spillway, 34,585 cusecs via the power channel, and 3,663 cusecs through canal systems.

Downstream, water levels in the Mahanadi River system are rising steadily, with key stations such as Khairmal and Mundali Barrage reporting significant inflows.

District administrations have been placed on high alert, with surveillance intensified in vulnerable low‑lying areas to mitigate flood risks.