Bhubaneswar: The authorities have opened 46 of the 64 sluice gates of the Hirakud Dam to discharge excess water on Friday. This flood water is expected to reach Mundali in Cuttack by 5 am on Sunday.
Odisha is bracing for a medium-level flood situation in the Mahanadi river system following heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas in Chhattisgarh and an increase in the water level of Hirakud Dam.
As most rivers are overflowing, the discharge of floodwater from Hirakud reservoir has added woes to the people living along the river system.
Coastal districts like Cuttack, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada are likely to be affected by the flood.
Over 8.70 lakh cusec of water is now entering the Hirakud reservoir while 7.62 lakh cusec water is being discharged through 46 sluice gates of the dam.
Additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Response Force (ODRAF) and Fire Service have been prepositioned in the areas likely to be affected.
It is to be noted that in 2008, 48 sluice gates of Hirakud dam had been opened that released 7,91,000 cusec water and 59 gates were opened in 2011 that released 9,81,000 cusec water. Similarly, in 2014 Hirakud Dam authorities opened 50 sluice gates to discharge 8,34,000 cusec water. And in 2020 today so far 46 gates have been opened through which 7,62,000 cusec water is being discharged.
Ms Kalinga AI