People immerse an idol of Lord Ganesha into a canal during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival celebrations, in Amritsar. (PTI)For the first time in 15 years, the floodgates of Sukhna Lake were opened nine times during a single monsoon season as the Chandigarh Administration lifted two of the three gates Wednesday after the water level rose above the danger mark of 1,163 feet following heavy rain in the catchment area.According to officials, excess water is being released into the Ghaggar River through the Sukhna Choe.They said the first gate was opened around 7.30 am, followed by the second at 8 am, both of which were lifted to three inches.This is the ninth opening of the floodgates this season, following similar operations on September 1, August 6, 8, 15, 17, 19, 29, and 30. On September 1, one gate was shut around 3 pm, while the other remained open for nearly 21 hours before closing at 4 am the next day.The Chandigarh Union Territory’s Engineering Department has deployed staff at the lake’s regulatory end round the clock, with CCTV surveillance and a control room set up to coordinate with the district administrations of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula.The traffic police and local authorities were also alerted in advance of each release.The gates were opened only four times in 2023, six times in 2022, and five times in 2021. A major flooding incident was reported in August 2020 when the opening of two gates inundated low-lying areas of Zirakpur. Before September 2018, the gates had not been operated for a decade.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, Chandigarh witnessed heavy rain in the past 24 hours, with the Meteorological Centre recording 63.6 mm of rainfall in the city and 71 mm at the airport till 8.30 am Wednesday. The minimum temperature in Chandigarh city was recorded at 21.6 degree Celsius, which is 3.7 degrees below normal.The continuous rain has also led to waterlogging in several parts of the tricity, causing traffic snarls during morning hours.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd