Sambalpur: Hirakud dam on Wednesday released the season’s first floodwater, with deputy chief minister Pravati Parida ceremonially inaugurating the operation by pressing the control switch to open the first sluice gate around 11.25 am.Following tradition, gate no. 7 on the left spillway, considered auspicious, was opened first. Three more gates — two on the left spillway and one on the right — were opened later, taking the total to four. The number of open gates would be increased in phases, with 10 gates scheduled to remain open by the end of the day.Chief engineer Pratap Choudhury said the released water is expected to reach Mundali in Cuttack district within 36 hours. He said 10 gates would remain open on Thursday, and more could be opened if rainfall continues in the upper catchment areas.At 6pm, the reservoir level stood at 615.15ft. The dam was receiving an inflow of about 1.41 lakh cusecs, while nearly 1.7 lakh cusecs was being discharged. “Regulated release would continue until the reservoir level drops to 605ft,” Choudhury said.He said the current discharge posed no immediate flood threat to downstream areas. District administrations have been alerted and are keeping vigil as a precaution.The annual release drew thousands of visitors to the dam and the banks of the Mahanadi, with families and tourists gathering to watch the water gush through the sluice gates and capturing the moment in photos and videos.
