An inundated house at a flood-hit village in P Ganavaram mandal of East Godavari district.
RAJAHMUNDRY: The Godavari flood fury continued unabated for the fourth day on Tuesday with several villages in East and West Godavari districts remaining inundated. The water discharge from Dowlaiswaram barrage near Rajahmundry has stabilised with 22.40 lakh cusecs released into the sea. The new moon day resulted in slower discharge thanks to the rough sea.
Meanwhile, flood level has started receding at Bhadrachalam in the upstream, with water level coming down by about 10 feet since Monday. Officials withdrew the third flood warning signal from the temple town late on Tuesday night.
But the woes of people in the tribal belt under Chintoor ITDA and Devipatnam mandal in East Godavari is far from over. Island villages in Konaseema may remain under flood waters for a few more days.
As many as 70 villages are either submerged or cut off in four mandals under Chintoor ITDA. Over 11,000 people have been shifted to relief camps.
All the four mandals are in darkness and electricity would be restored only after the flood water recedes. Authorities are focusing on medical teams and sanitation. Around 33 habitations in Devipatnam mandal are still in water.
Power supply may be restored by Wednesday evening if the water recedes as expected. People in Konaseema are in the grip of fear as water has entered the island villages. About 50 villages are inundated with floodwater damaging crops. It will take another three days for water to recede even the flood level starts to fall in the upstream area.
In West Godavari, 19 tribal villages in Polavaram mandal are submerged.
Most of the villagers are staying on hillocks. Chief minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas in East and West Godavari districts on Tuesday, and directed authorities to extend financial support of 2,000 each to the affected families. Jagan said the flood discharge from Dowlaiswaram will recede to 8 lakh cusecs by Thursday.