Bhubaneswar, July 25: In a bid to manage water levels in the reservoir, the Hirakud Dam authorities have announced plans to release the season’s first floodwater on July 28.

Downstream districts have been placed on high alert, with residents advised to take precautions to safeguard themselves and their properties.

The water level in the Hirakud reservoir has risen due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment area of the Mahanadi River. Chief Engineer Sushil Kumar Behera of the Hirakud Dam reported that the sluice gates will be opened at 9 am on July 29 to release this year’s first floodwater.

Currently, the water level in the Hirakud reservoir has surged by 2 feet, reaching 604 feet, nearing its total capacity of 630 feet. This increase is due to significant rainfall in the Mahanadi River’s upper catchment areas in neighboring Chhattisgarh, resulting in a massive influx of 1,72,176 cusecs of floodwater into the dam.

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