Godavari Flood fury increasing by hour: 24 lakh cusecs expected by evening

KAKINADA: The Godavari flood fury was increasing by the hour, with 17,07,047 cusecs of water discharged from Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram that was at 16.40 feet, and a third warning has been issued here.

Irrigation department expects the flow would rise to 24 lakhs cusecs by the evening on Friday. At Polavaram, the water levels reached to 34.890 metres at upper spillway and it discharged 16.29 lakh cusecs downstream by 8pm.

Godavari is swollen with the heavy rains in its upper reaches and transport facility was totally cut off to two villages -- Koida and Katukuru -- in Velerupadu mandal of West Godavari district.

The government has arranged food for supply to the flood victims of these villages with the help of a Navy helicopter.

Eluru joint collector Arun said 5 tonnes of vegetables, 2,800litres of oil, 1800 litres of milk, 1,000 packs of biscuits, 500 bread packets, 10,000 candles were supplied to these two villages by the helicopter on Thursday.

District collector Venkatesh told Deccan Chronicle that the two villages have 1300 families. Of them, 800 families got the food material via helicopter. On Friday, the remaining families will be reached food via the helicopter.

Polavaram project superintendent engineer and Incharge SE of Dowleswaram irrigation circle Narasimha Murthy said there was a possibility for discharge of more than 24 lakhs cusecs of water from Dowleswaram barrage. According to the officials, in year 2020, 22 lakh cusecs of water was discharged from the barrage.

Konaseema district administration has alerted the officials to take up necessary steps to face the flood challenge. Irrigation officials have paid attention to Kulla-Sundarapalli embankment points near Kotipalli of Konaseema district as three points were in a very weakened stage.

The officials were bringing in sand bags and sticks to strengthen the bund.

Due to the flow of backwaters at Cofferdam, the Gandiposamma temple and the Gonduru village, where 300 families are residing in Devipatnam mandal, have been inundated.

The people from the village were evacuated. With the overflowing of Godavari and its tributary Sabari, Bhadrachalam recorded 60.67 feet of water. Due to massive flooding, many villages in Yetapaka mandal have been inundated and the people voluntarily went to the safest places and nearby hillocks for safe stay. The state government deployed 12 SDRF and NDRF teams to five districts --ASR, Konaseema, Eluru, East and West Godavari to rescue the victims.

The Alluri Seetharama Raju district collector Sumit stayed at Chinturu agency and was closely monitoring the situation. The state disaster management MD, BR Ambedkar, said that if a third warning came, it meant nearly 524 villages in 42 mandals of six districts will be badly affected.

Meanwhile, home minister Taneti Vanitha, district collector Madhavi and Rajanagaram MLA Raja Indravandit went to Mulakallanka village in Seethanagaram mandal of East Godavari district by boat and requested the people to move to safe places. Vanitha said `2,000 each will be given to each family of flood victims going to rehabilitation centres. She along with the collector went to Maddurilanka village people and said the affected villagers have been provided shelter at a nearby government school.

In Konaseema district, with the inundation of Kanakayalanka causeway, four islet villages, linking Konaseema and West Godavari districts have also been inundated and transport facility was cut off between these villages and the main village.

Konaseema collector Himanshu Shukla said due to rise in flood waters, 73 rehabilitation centres have been set up and 3200 families evacuated from the low-lying areas and islet villages to safer places with the help of 143 boats.

He said  7,600 food packets and 2 lakh drinking water sachets have been supplied and 79 medical camps arranged in rehabilitation centres. There are about 73,400 families in 59 villages in 18 mandals affected by floods in Konaseema, he said.

NDRF and SDRF teams consisting of 75 personnel were getting ready to participate in rescue operations. Paddy nurseries in 163 hectares and paddy plantations in 60 hectares have been damaged.