NEEPCO Opens All Khandong Dam Gates Amid Relentless Rainfall

Amid relentless rainfall battering Assam and Meghalaya for over ten days, the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) has fully opened all seven sluice gates of the Khandong Dam at Umrangso in Dima Hasao district. The move, critical to safeguard the dam’s structural integrity, has significantly raised water levels in the Kopili River, triggering serious flood concerns in parts of Nagaon and Morigaon districts.

The Khandong reservoir—part of the Kopili Hydroelectric Project—has witnessed a sharp surge in inflow due to incessant rainfall. Officials report that each of the dam's seven gates is currently discharging water at a height of 400 cm into the Kopili, pushing the river level past 723.20 meters and continuing to rise. Several downstream areas are now nearing danger levels.

In Kampur, river gauges have recorded a steady spike in the Kopili’s water level since last night. The situation has also raised alarms for adjoining tributaries such as the Jamuna and Haria rivers, which are likely to swell if the Kopili overflows. Low-lying areas like Bakulguri, Padumoni, Jamunamukh, Kachua, Kampur, Changchaki, and Garukhunda—all in central Assam—are now at high risk of flooding.

On Tuesday, NEEPCO opened six of the dam's gates as a precaution. However, with rainfall persisting across Dima Hasao and neighbouring Meghalaya, authorities were compelled to open the final gate early Wednesday morning.

The Nagaon district administration has already issued public advisories, urging residents along the riverbanks to stay alert and prepare for possible evacuation.

Although rainfall intensity in Kampur reportedly eased by Wednesday afternoon, the river’s water level remains elevated due to continuous discharge.

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