Bhubaneswar, 19 August (H.S.)r: Two more gates of the Hirakud Dam were opened to regulate the rising inflow, taking the total number of gates currently open to 17, authorities said.

Earlier, 15 gates had been opened for the controlled release of floodwater. Of the 17 gates now in operation, 11 are on the left side and six on the right side of the dam.

The water level in the Hirakud reservoir stood at 620.17 feet. The reservoir was receiving an inflow of 3,77,081 cusecs, while the total outflow was recorded at 2,68,883 cusecs.

The continued release of water is part of efforts to regulate the reservoir level amid the substantial inflow and manage the downstream flood situation. Authorities are closely monitoring the inflow, outflow and reservoir level as the flood situation evolves.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda