Sambalpur: The Hirakud dam today released season’s first flood water from the reservoir at around 12 pm. After performing a ‘puja’, the sluice gate no. 7 was opened first.
Later seven more gates were opened in phased manner. There are plans to open 15 more gates later in the day, informed Hirakud Chief Engineer Jyotirmaya Rath.
Sources said, around 15,000 cubic feet of water per second is being released from each sluice gates now.
With the opening of the gates, more than 2 lakh cusecs of water per second will flow out of the reservoir into the Mahandi River. The water will reach Mundali within 36 to 40 hours.
“We will open 15 gates in phased manner. The inflow of water into the reservoir is 1, 35, 000 cusecs per second. As there is not much water between Hirakud to Khairamal and Mundali, so the discharge of water from the dam will not affect much,” said Rath.
However district collectors of 12 districts have been alerted about the development through letters, added the Hirakud Chief Engineer.
A numbers of visitors arrived to see the spectacular view of release of water from the dam. However, entry to the area will be prohibited from tomorrow.
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Meanwhile, the dam authorities have asked villagers in low lying areas of the Hirakud dam to remain alert. The locals have also been advised not to venture into Mahandi River during these hours.