About 400 villages were inundated and over 4,000 persons moved to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh due to floods in East and West Godavari districts.
The water-level in Godavari river at Bhadrachalam on the Telangana side of the river on Saturday touched 46.6 feet. The authorities in both states issued the first warning alert when the water level rose to 43 feet.
At 6 pm on Saturday, the floodwater had a discharge at a rate of 11,10,953 cusecs per hour and was released from 175 gates of Dowleswaram barrage in Rajamahendravaram. The inflows at the barrage also stood at the same outflow figure, reported TNIE.
As many as 4000 people were shifted from flood-hit Deipatanam, Yoyyeru, Agraharam, Dandangi and A Veeravaram mandals to relief camps at Damannapallu, Musurimilli and Rampachodavaram. RTC buses and tractors have been deployed to ferry the villagers to the relief camps.
NDRF has also been deployed with boats to move the villagers to safety. Alerts have also been sounded in island villages in Amalapuram division and boats have been kept on standby for their evacuation. Bathing in the river ghats has also been temporarily banned. Boating in the Godavari has also been suspended.
The IMD in the meantime has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in the next two days in several parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh. Officials expect the flood level to rise further in the region.
The state government announced the distribution of 25 kg of rice and other essential commodities to the affected families.
At Ganti Pedapudi where four villages were cut off after a temporary bridge washed away. The state has set up boats in case there is a need for evacuation.
While many island villages in the Konaseema region have reported soil erosion, several houses in villages the Devipatnam mandal in East Godavari were submerged. Toi reported that more than 30 villages in the mandal are submerged or cut off from the mainland.
NDRF teams have evacuated several tribals from their habitations in 10 villages and ITDA Rampa Chodavaram authorities are providing them with essential commodities.
Godavari water has also entered famous Gandi Posamma temple in Gonduru village and the temple authorities have asked the devotees not to come to the temple till the water recedes.
In Rajahmundry, NDRF forces have evacuated fishermen from the Bridge Lanka and Pichhukalanka islands.
In East Godavari, the National Highway 30 (Ibrahimpatnam in Vijayawada to Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh) and National Highway No 226 (Chintur-Odisha) got flooded with water flowing over the road.
ToI reported that transportation to about 70 villages has been cut off in four merged mandals of Chintur, VR Puram, Koonavaram and Yetapaka. Another 50 villages in Velairpadu and Polavaram were marooned and officials are trying to reach those villages to shift the victims to safer places.