Catchment areas of the upper Damodar Valley dams received much more than recorded average rainfall in the past 24 hours, which continued till the evening hours today.

This has triggered panic as people fear fresh inundation of the lower valley regions.

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The combined discharge of the Maithon and Panchet dams were scaled down substantially last night, but the senior hydrology experts apprehended, if the precipitations continue unabated, the lock gates of the dams would require to be widened further. The gauge levels of Maithon and Panchet reservoirs were recorded at 483.23 feet and 413.86 feet at 6 pm respectively, which were 12 feet below the danger level, stated Nag Sudha Kumari, superintendent of hydrology at Maithon dam.

Maithon recorded 85 mm rainfall followed by Raghunathpur (80 mm) and Sudamadih (69 mm).