Bhubaneswar, July 8 -- The first floodwater of this season will be released from Hirakud Dam in Sambalpur district tomorrow (July 9), with four gates scheduled to open at 11.00 AM. Additional gates will be opened gradually in the evening, and water discharge will be increased to up to 1 lakh cusecs, the Odisha Water Resources Department informed on Wednesday.

The present water level at Hirakud reservoir stands at 611.23 feet, while the inflow into the reservoir has reached 2.62 lakh cusecs. Officials said the water release is part of reservoir management during the monsoon season.

At Mundali, the river discharge has reduced from 5.54 lakh cusecs recorded yesterday to 4.80 lakh cusecs today. The flow is expected to decline gradually in t...