By Express News Service
RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM/VIJAYAWADA: With heavy inflows into the Godavari, Agency areas in East and West Godavari districts have been completely cut off from the rest of the world.
Flood level in the river at Polavaram cofferdam is steadily increasing. The second flood warning was issued at Bhadrachalam in Telangana, upstream of Polavaram, with the water level crossing 48 feet. There is a likelihood of water level increasing further by Sunday morning.
The water level at the cofferdam crossed 33 metres on Saturday. Flood discharge from Polavaram spillway was at 5,82,089 cusecs at 6 pm. The first flood warning is likely to be issued at Dowleswaram barrage in the early hours of Sunday as the flood discharge is increasing rapidly.
According to Godavari Headworks Executive Engineer G Srinivasa Rao, the first warning at Dowleswaram barrage is issued when the water level rises to 10.75 feet and the flood discharge is at 10 lakh cusecs. “We are expecting the flood discharge to touch 12 lakh cusecs by midnight,” he said.
People of several villages in Devipatnam, Polavaram, Velerupadu and Kukunoor mandals are being shifted to relief camps as their habitations have been submerged.
Water resources officials attributed the increasing flood level in Devipatnam and other mandals located upstream to construction of the cofferdam at Polavaram. The flood water is being released downstream through the spillway. A high alert has been sounded in 373 villages located along the course of the river in East Godavari district.
Rampachodavaram Sub-Collector Katta Simhachalam said steps were taken to shift people of 32 villages to relief camps. About 650 boats were deployed to evacuate people from flood-hit areas. People of 22 submergence villages have already been shifted to relief camps, he said.
Road links to 19 villages in Polavaram mandal cut off
Chintur ITDA Project Officer Venkata Ramana said 233 villages in Kunavaram, VR Puram, Chintur and Yetapakam and alsare facing submersion. Road connectivity was cut off to 19 villages in Polavaram mandal. Kotturu, Madapuram, Kottamamidi Gondi, Kondrukota, Yerravaram, Vadapalli, Thutigonta, Tekuru, Sivagiri and Cheeduru villages were completely cut off from Polavaram.
A boat from Gandi Pochamma temple to Kondrukota was deployed to supply essential commodities to people, who are reluctant to vacate their villages and instead pitched tents on nearby hillocks. Eight villages in 15 mandals of Amalapuram revenue division, six villages in two mandals of Ramachandrapuram division and four villages in four mandals of Rajamahendravaram division are flood-prone.
Inflows into Srisailam reservoir in Kurnool and Prakasam Barrage in Krishna district continued to increase with heavy rains in upper catchment areas of Krishna in Maharashtra and Karnataka. At Srisailam, the water level rose to 855.60 feet against FRL of 885 feet.
At Prakasam Barrage, the flood discharge was 93,150 cusecs at 6 pm. Officials have been directed to set up relief camps in Kurnool, Krishna and Guntur. All the low-lying areas in both downstream and upstream of Prakasam Barrage have been put on alert. Light rainfall occurred at a few places on Saturday with the highest rainfall of 4.3 cm at Jangareddygudem in West Godavari, followed by 3.3 cm at Mudinepalle in Krishna district.
137 rehabilitation centres set up in EG for flood victims
As many as 137 rehabilitation centres have been set up in East Godavari district for flood victims. A high alert has been sounded in 373 villages located along the course of the river in East Godavari district. NDRF and SDRF teams are on standby for rescue and relief operations.