The flood management measures at the Hirakud Dam have been scaled up further, with authorities opening two additional sluice gates, bringing the total number of operational discharge gates to 30.
According to control room data, while upper catchment areas recorded virtually no rainfall over the preceding 24 hours, light rainfall averaging around 0.27 mm was noted in the lower catchments. At midday, the water level of the Hirakud reservoir stood at 629.52 feet against its full capacity of 630 feet.
Inflow calculations indicated that floodwater was entering the reservoir at an average rate of 6,30,605 cubic feet per second (cusecs). Conversely, total outflow was recorded at 5,30,246 cusecs per second. Out of this total discharge, 4,92,060 cusecs are being released directly through the 30 sluice gates into the Mahanadi.
Additionally, water is being systematically drawn off for various utility channels: 33,699 cusecs for power generation through the power channel, alongside smaller allocations for the Bargarh canal (3,651 cusecs), Sason canal (500 cusecs), Sambalpur canal (105 cusecs), and industrial usage (221 cusecs).
Authorities and local officials continue to monitor weather and reservoir levels closely, advising residents in low-lying areas downstream of the Mahanadi to stay vigilant.
