Hirakud Dam reaches 97.9% capacity with 5 gates opened. Water Resources Department issues a rainfall alert for Rushikulya and Vansadhara river basins. Following persistent rainfall across key catchments, the Hirakud Reservoir has reached nearly 97.9% of its total storage capacity, prompting dam authorities to keep five sluice gates open to manage inflows, according to the latest flood bulletin released by the Odisha Water Resources Department on November 2.