National/Punjab/ Desk
20 August
Tv10punjab
The forecast of heavy rain in the hills has raised serious concerns for the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The weather department has predicted heavy rainfall on 24–25 August in Kullu and Mandi areas, though Shimla is expected to be spared.
Bhakra Dam Water Level Under Watch
In response to the alert, BBMB has started maintaining water levels in the Bhakra Dam to handle the possible inflow from the hills. On Wednesday, four floodgates of the dam were opened by two feet each to create space for incoming water.
In the morning, nearly 80,000 cusecs of water was flowing into Bhakra Dam, which reduced to 62,000 cusecs by evening. To maintain balance, about 43,300 cusecs of water was released from the dam, including nearly 23,000 cusecs into the Sutlej River. By 6 PM, the water level in Bhakra Dam reached 1665.49 feet, whereas ideally it should have been around 1662 feet by this date. Officials fear that, along with Beas, now the Sutlej River may also pose a serious threat to nearby border villages.
Pong Dam Sees Unusual Inflow
The situation in Pong Dam is also worrying. Normally, the average inflow in the monsoon season is about 40,000 cusecs. However, for the last one and a half months, it has remained unusually high at 70,000 to 80,000 cusecs. At present, nearly 60,000 cusecs of water is entering the dam, and an equal amount is being released into the Beas River.
By evening, the water level of Pong Dam touched 1383.12 feet. With more rain expected, authorities are on alert to manage the situation and prevent flooding in low-lying areas.