📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Quarterbacker
Weather
Hirakud Dam Opens All 24 Gates as Odisha Rivers Surge After Heavy Rains
✍️ Kanak News Odisha
🗓 27 Sep 2026, 08:32 PM
👁 21
Following intense rainfall, water levels in major Odisha rivers rose sharply, prompting authorities to open all 24 gates of the Hirakud Dam to manage the flood risk.
Heavy monsoon rains across Odisha have caused a rapid rise in the water levels of several major rivers, including the Mahanadi and its tributaries. State disaster officials reported that the surge threatened low‑lying districts, prompting immediate flood mitigation measures.
In response, the Odisha Water Resources Department opened all 24 gates of the Hirakud Dam, the largest dam on the Mahanadi, to release excess water downstream in a controlled manner. The gate operation aims to prevent overtopping of the reservoir and reduce pressure on the dam structure.
Local authorities have issued warnings to residents in flood‑prone areas, advising evacuation and heightened vigilance. Relief teams are on standby, and relief camps have been set up in affected blocks to provide shelter and essential supplies.
Meteorological agencies continue to monitor the situation, forecasting that river levels may remain elevated for several days as the region absorbs the recent rainfall.
The coordinated response underscores the state's preparedness for flood emergencies, though officials caution that continued heavy rain could exacerbate conditions.
In response, the Odisha Water Resources Department opened all 24 gates of the Hirakud Dam, the largest dam on the Mahanadi, to release excess water downstream in a controlled manner. The gate operation aims to prevent overtopping of the reservoir and reduce pressure on the dam structure.
Local authorities have issued warnings to residents in flood‑prone areas, advising evacuation and heightened vigilance. Relief teams are on standby, and relief camps have been set up in affected blocks to provide shelter and essential supplies.
Meteorological agencies continue to monitor the situation, forecasting that river levels may remain elevated for several days as the region absorbs the recent rainfall.
The coordinated response underscores the state's preparedness for flood emergencies, though officials caution that continued heavy rain could exacerbate conditions.