Water levels in the Mahanadi river have risen sharply following the discharge of over 4.47 lakh cusecs of floodwater from Hirakud Dam, causing concern in downstream areas such as Mundali in Cuttack.
As of Wednesday morning, the water level upstream at Mundali reached 87.50 feet, while the downstream level stood at 84.30 feet.
To manage the increased flow, authorities initially opened 16 sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam, later expanding the number to 20 due to rising upstream inflows. Despite the significant discharge, officials from the Water Resources Department have assured there is no immediate flood threat. However, they have urged caution and confirmed that real-time monitoring is underway at the flood control center in Naraj.
The current inflow into Hirakud Dam stands at 3,42,453 cusecs, slightly exceeding the outflow of 3,35,649 cusecs, indicating a marginal increase in reservoir storage. The release operation, which began on Sunday with the opening of gate number 7, has been necessitated by continued rainfall in Odisha and Chhattisgarh’s upper catchments.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more rainfall over the next 48 to 72 hours, driven by a low-pressure system over Gangetic West Bengal and an active cyclonic circulation. Northern and western districts of Odisha are expected to receive heavy showers, prompting heightened alert levels across districts including Sambalpur, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, and Kendrapara.
With monsoon activity intensifying and floodwaters moving through the Mahanadi delta, the next two days are expected to be crucial for flood preparedness and response across the state.
