SAMBALPUR: The Hirakud dam authorities on Wednesday opened 36 sluice gates following incessant rains, both upstream and downstream. This has led to a flood-like situation in the villages downstream. The gates have been discharging 5,13,000 cusecs of water while the inflow is 5,25,000 cusecs even as the water level stands at 626.15 feet in the dam. In the last 24 hours 64.16-mm rainfall has been recorded upstream and 35.22 mm downstream. Dam authorities said more gates would be opened if there is rise in the inflow. The water release has left many parts of Sambalpur town inundated. With the drains failing to clear the rainwater, even the main road in Sambalpur town was submerged. Sambalpur district received 116.42-mm rain on Tuesday and 56.91 mm on Wednesday. The rain and the backwaters of the dam have led to water-logging of Binakhandi, Mining Colony, Housing Board Colony, Cheruapada, slum near the Main Branch of State Bank of India besides many other slums in low-lying areas of the town. Deputy Collector, Emergency, Shailendra Jena said motor pumps have been installed in low-lying areas to drain out water and the situation is likely to improve if there is no further rain. Jharsuguda district recorded 171.1 mm of rain in the last 24 hours inundating many areas and damaging more than six houses in Doubling Colony in Jharsuguda town. At least two panchayats of Samarbaga and Telenpali in Lakhapur block have been marooned and vast tracts of land sand cast in Kukurjanga village while standing crop has been damaged in Remja and Gandgura villages with the river Ib in spate.The situation is equally grim in Bargarh with low-lying areas along the river Jeera marooned. The rivers Ong, Danta and Ranj are also overflowing and traffic on roads connecting Paikmal-Patnagarh, Paikmal-Chhattisgarh, Sohela-Raipur -- National Highway 6, Padampur-Bargarh, Bheden-Papanga disrupted.
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