The authorities at the Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station will partially open 16 spillway gates of the Kaptai Dam on Saturday (18 July) to release water as the water level in Kaptai Lake continues to rise.

The decision has been taken to manage upstream and downstream water flow and help mitigate the risk of flooding, according to a notice signed by Mahmud Hasan, Manager (Superintending Engineer) of the Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station, on Thursday (16 July) night.

The notice said the water level in Kaptai Lake stood at 103.91 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL) at 7:00pm on Thursday, while the lake's maximum storage capacity is 109 feet MSL. Continuous heavy rainfall has significantly increased inflows from the catchment area, causing the lake's water level to rise rapidly.

As a result, the 16 spillway gates may be opened by 6 inches each at any time after 11:00am on Saturday, initially releasing around 9,000 cusecs of water into the Karnaphuli River.

Mahmud Hasan said the lake's water level, upstream inflows and rainfall are being monitored round the clock.

"Depending on changes in the situation, the timing of the spillway opening may be advanced or delayed. If inflows increase further, the gates will be opened wider in phases to release more water," he said.