Subansiri Project Moderates Major River Surge After Early Warnings

Itanagar: A surge of water rushed down the Subansiri River on July 13. Heavy rain upstream drove the flow up rapidly after midnight. Warning systems at Daporijo and Tamen triggered alerts nearly six hours before the crest. District authorities acted fast. They blared sirens along the riverbanks to clear residents out of harm's way.

The discharge jumped from 7,000 cumecs to a peak of 13,000 cumecs by 10:45 am. The river’s safe limit is only 7,000 cumecs. Project managers used the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project reservoir to dampen the blow. They choked the outflow to 12,000 cumecs at 11 am. This move bought critical time and cut the peak flood force.

The water eventually slowed. Levels dropped to 7,500 cumecs by Monday evening and hit 5,200 cumecs by 9:30 am on July 14. Project officials noted that early warning systems and reservoir control worked. According to a statement issued by the project authorities, the measure "helped delay and reduce the downstream flood peak." Local news reports confirmed that these preparations significantly softened the impact for communities living near the water.