Floodgates of Pandoh dam in Himachal opened

Shimla, July 9 (IANS) Authorities on Sunday opened all floodgates from the Pandoh diversion dam in Himachal Pradesh after heavy overnight rainfall in its catchment.

However, they said still there was no need for worry because the excess water discharged from the Pandoh dam would reach the Pong dam reservoir, which has the capacity to withhold additional water.

The Pandoh diversion dam is located on the Beas river in Mandi district 112 km upstream of the Pong dam. It diverts excess monsoon water towards the Pong dam. Otherwise, it diverts water towards the Satluj river which feeds the Gobind Sagar reservoir of the Bhakra dam.

Under the influence of active western disturbance, intense spells of precipitation is likely with possibility of isolated spells of extremely heavy rainfall in Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Una, Hamirpur and Bilaspur districts till Monday, an official of the meteorological office told IANS.

A government spokesperson told IANS the Satluj, Beas and Yamuna rivers and their tributaries were in spate in Kinnaur, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur and Sirmaur districts. These rivers enter Punjab and Haryana.