Amaravati, Aug 17 (PTI): The Godavari river is
swelling by the hour, inundating more villages along the
course, as it inched towards a record flood level on Monday.
As the water level crossed 60 feet at Bhadrachalam in
neighbouring Telanagna, the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at
Dowaleswaram near Rajamahendravaram received 18.27 lakh cusecs
by noon on Monday.
Authorities are discharging all the flood water into
the Bay of Bengal as the third warning signal is due to be
raised.
The second warning is now continuing at Dowaleswaram,
the State Disaster Management Authority said.
Over 55 villages in West Godavari district and about
100 in East Godavari district remain marooned or inundated due
to the deluge.
In East Godavari, close to 6,000 people were evacuated
to safety from the flood-hit villages and lodged in relief
camps.
In West Godavari, too, about 2,000 people were shifted
to relief camps.
The tributaries of Godavari like Goutami, Vasishta and
Vynateya are also in spate.
Power supply to the affected villages has been cut as
a precautionary measure.
Teams of SDRF and NDRF have been moved to the flood-
hit villages with boats and other equipment to carry out
rescue and relief operations, the SDMA said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy
reviewed the situation with the officials concerned and
directed them to undertake relief measures on a war
footing.PTI DBV SS
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