Hyderabad: On Sunday morning, dam authorities lifted 26 gates at Nagarjuna Sagar to release 2,23,564 cusecs of floodwater. The action followed a sharp spike in inflows from the Srisailam reservoir, triggered by widespread rainfall in the Telugu states, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
Heavy rains led to a surge in water levels at Srisailam late Saturday. Officials opened seven gates there, discharging over 2 lakh cusecs downstream. By early Sunday, inflows into Nagarjuna Sagar reached 2,74,007 cusecs, prompting immediate flood management measures.
Nagarjuna Sagar flood inflows trigger full gate lift
Officials matched the discharge with the incoming volume to maintain reservoir balance. The rare full-gate opening turned the site into a major tourist draw, especially on a Sunday.
Local authorities noted a sharp rise in tourist numbers. Roads leading to Nagarjuna Sagar were packed with vehicles as families from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh rushed to see the release.
Visitors assembled in large numbers at designated viewing points to watch the powerful outflow. Authorities issued safety alerts, asking the public to obey traffic guidelines and avoid restricted spillway zones.
