For the second time, all 16 gates of the Kaptai Karnaphuli Hydroelectric Power Station in Rangamati have been closed.
Confirming the matter, Mahmud Hasan, managing engineer of the hydro power station, said that due to a lack of heavy rainfall, the water level in Kaptai Lake had been falling. As a result, at 5pm on Saturday, all 16 gates of the plant were closed. At that time, the water level of Kaptai Lake was 108.15 feet above mean sea level.
Notably, in recent days, heavy rainfall in areas surrounding Kaptai Lake had caused the water level to rise above the danger mark. Consequently, on Wednesday at 8pm, all 16 gates had been opened by six inches to release water, allowing 9,000 cubic feet per second to flow from Kaptai Lake into the Karnaphuli River.
Earlier, at the end of July and beginning of August, heavy rainfall in the lake’s surrounding areas had caused hill torrents to flow into Kaptai Lake, raising the water level close to the danger mark of 109 feet. On August 6, at 12:05am, the 16 gates were opened for the first time by six inches, releasing 9,000 cubic feet per second into the Karnaphuli River.
As rainfall continued, the gates were subsequently opened further—first by 1.5 feet, then 2.5 feet, and at maximum by 3.5 feet—to manage the rising water level. Seven days after releasing water, as the lake level receded, all 16 gates were closed again at 9am on August 12.
