The Hirakud Dam authority will release the first flood water from the Dam on Sunday.
State Water Resources Department sources said the Dam Authority will open 20 gates in three phases on Sunday.
Due to the opening of 20 gates, the Khairmal discharge would be around 4.5 lakh cusecs on July 29 morning, and the Mundali discharge will be around 5 lakh cusecs by July 30, Special Relief Commission (SRC) office sources said.
Meanwhile, the SRC has alerted the Collectors of Sambalpur, Sonepur, Nayagarh, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, and Kendrapada to closely monitor the situation in their respective districts.
The people residing on the riverside of the Mahanadi River were also alerted not to enter Mahanadi.
The animals will also not be allowed to gaze close to the river, the SRC office said.
