The water level in the dam measured on Monday was 335.53 feet. (Representational)

With heavy rainfall lashing the upper catchment areas of the Ukai dam, the authorities on Monday discharged 1.59 lakh cusecs of water to maintain the water level in the dam.

Heavy inflow of water into Ukai was witnessed in the last two days from the upper catchment areas lying in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra which received heavy rainfall. The water level in the dam measured on Monday was 335.53 feet. To maintain the water level in the dam, the officials started discharging 1.91 lakh cusecs of water directly into the Tapi river on Monday morning. In the evening, the discharge was reduced to 50,900 cusecs.

Eleven flood gates of the dam have been opened to discharge water.

Ukai dam superintendent engineer H R Mahakaal said, “We are keeping a watch on the inflow of water into the dam from the upper catchment areas. To maintain the level, we are discharging water. The rainfall stopped in upper catchment areas of the dam in the afternoon, as a result of which we have decreased the outflow.”

Moderate to heavy rainfall was witnessed in different districts of South Gujarat.

According to the flood control department, Mangrol taluka in Surat district received the highest rainfall up to 6 inch in the last 24 hours. Chikhil taluka in Navsari district, Umarpada in Surat district, Kaprada and Khergam in Valsad district received 4 inch each, while 2 inch rainfall was witnessed in Navsari town and Gandevi taluka in the district. The Dangs and Tapi district received moderate rainfall.