Chattogram, Aug. 30 -- Authorities have further opened the spillway gates of Kaptai Dam as the water level of Kaptai Lake continues to rise rapidly.

The 16 spillway gates were opened to one foot from six inches on Saturday night, allowing around 18,000 cusecs of water per second to flow from Kaptai Lake into the Karnaphuli River.

Tarek Ahmed, an engineer at the Karnaphuli Hydropower Plant, said the gates were being opened in phases while monitoring the lake's water level and the overall situation.

"If the water level continues to rise, the gates may be opened further by another one to two feet around 10am on Sunday," he said.

If the gates are opened to two feet, around 39,000 cusecs of water per second could be released from Kaptai La...