After six hours, the sluice gate of Kaptai Dam was closed

16 sluicegates or sluice gates of Kaptai Dam in Rangamati were opened at 8:10 minutes by 6 inches due to the water in the lake approaching the danger limit.

However, the sluice gates were closed again after six hours on Sunday (August 25) around two o'clock.

Karnaphuli Hydropower Plant Manager (Superintending Engineer) ATM Abduzzah confirmed the closure of the sluicegate to the media. He said, while the sluicegate was open, 9,000 cusecs of water was released into the Karnaphuli river every second.

Due to the opening of the sluice gate, residents of various areas including Rangunia in Chittagong, located downstream, were in fear of flooding. However, it is said that it has not had a negative impact on the Bhati region after talking to the administration and local residents.

Rangunia Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Mahmudul Hasan said, 'Opening the spillway of Kaptai dam has no effect on the upazila. However, our people are under observation at various points of risk.'

The local administration was alerted to the news of opening the spillway of the dam on Saturday afternoon. People living on the banks of Karnaphuli river and Shakhakhal and living in low-lying areas have been asked to evacuate. Many riverside residents fled to safer shelters. Many people removed the necessary household items.

ATM Abduzzaheh, manager of Karnaphuli hydropower plant, said, 'It is a normal process to open the spillway of the dam when there is excess water in the lake during monsoon. There is nothing to panic about.'

Incidentally, Kaptai Lake has 16 sluicegates with a length of 12.2 meters and a width of 11.3 meters in the dammed section. These together can drain 5 lakh 25 thousand cusecs of water per second.

Bangladesh /SBT