Incessant rainfall caused by sustained depression over the Damodar East sub-basin in the last couple of days resulted the Durgapur barrage to open 16 of its 34 lock-gates resulting a discharge of 60210 cusecs at 6 pm today, posing a minor inundation threat to the lower valley basin.

The water inflow to Maithon and Panchet upper dams from their catchment areas increased from 1,654 acre-feet to 19,214 acre-feet and from 5,545 to 49,307 acre-feet in 24 hours, according to Nag Sudha Kumari, superintendent, hydrology, Damodar Valley Corporation.

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The combined discharge by the Maithon, Panchet upper dams, according to the officials, may increase as the depression weather stationed in some parts of Jharkhand and Bihar that accommodate Barakar (West & East) and Damodar (West & East) sub-basins measuring around 25,000 square km including the Damodar Lower Valley sub-basins. The weighted average rainfall in the Lower Valley crossed 49.9 mm today, which may be persistent tomorrow, too, said Sanjoy Majumdar, executive engineer, Damodar Headworks of the state irrigation department today.

Maithon recorded the highest 143 mm rainfall in 24 hours, followed by 121 mm in Raghunathpur, 112 mm in Dishergarh.

The Regional Meteorological Centre, Alipore, Kolkata issued a special bulletin that stated: “Heavy to very heavy rainfall between 70 mm to 2000 mm likely to occur over some districts including West Burdwan, Purulia on 27 August.” West Burdwan, Purulia contribute upper Durgapur Barrage catchment of the Damodar, incidentally.