On Sunday morning, authorities opened all 16 spillway gates of the Kaptai Hydropower Plant in response to the Kaptai Lake reaching above its danger level.
The water level had risen to 108 feet above Mean Sea Level (MSL) by Saturday, surpassing the critical mark.
ATM Abduzzaher, the manager of the Kaptai Hydropower Plant, confirmed that the gates were opened by 6 inches each at 8:10am on Sunday to release excess water.
This decision was made following several days of heavy rainfall that caused flash floods in the upstream areas. Even though there was no rain in the last two days near Kaptai Lake, the water level continued to rise due to previous rainfall and runoff from the surrounding hills.
The spillway gates are expected to release approximately 9,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of water. Depending on the situation, the plant may increase the gate openings to manage the lake's water levels effectively. Engineers at the power plant explained that Kaptai Lake's maximum water-holding capacity is 109 feet MSL, and 108 feet is considered the danger level.
The hydropower plant is currently operating five units, generating electricity by discharging 32,000 cubic feet per second (CFS) of water into the Karnaphuli River. The increased water release is expected to raise the water level in the Karnaphuli River as well.