Floods: First-level warning at Dowleswaram Barrage withdrawn
Another first-level warning likely to be issued by Monday evening
KAKINADA: The Water Resources Department withdrew the first warning on floods in River Godavari by 6pm on Sunday, when the water levels reached 11.70ft (3.55 meters) with a discharge of 9.65 lakh cusecs at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Dowleswaram, in East Godavari district.
However, there were fluctuations in the levels of the rising and receding floodwaters. Though the floodwaters receded on Saturday, the level has risen to 10.85 lakh cusecs by 6am on Sunday from 10.22 lakhs by 6pm on Saturday due to heavy rains in Manjeera, a tributary to River Godavari.
Again, the water levels receded to 9.57 lakh cusecs by 7pm on Sunday. However, the water levels rose to 40.60 feet by 7pm in Bhadrachalam.
Water Resources department said there may be a slight increase in the discharge levels at Bhadrachalam by Monday as the excess waters were discharged from upper reaches like Kaleshwaram, Dummugudem and other points. First-level warning might be issued again at Dowleswaram Barrage by tomorrow evening or so.
However, officials said heavy floods may not occur in Godavari based on the floodwater flow in the past 10 days, also as there is an increase in water levels in Bhadrachalam.
Konaseema collector Himanshu Shukla has cancelled the Spandana grievance programme on Monday as all the officials and staff were engaged in the rehabilitation and restoration process vis-à-vis the Godavari floods.
Meanwhile, officials said chief minister Jagan Reddy will visit Makalavaripalem, Nunnavari Badava and Tatipaka Matham areas in Konaseema on July 26, covering P Gannavaram and Razole mandals.
Information SV Krishna along with the district collector Himanshu Shukla, MLC Talasila Raghuram, government whip and Kothapeta MLA Chirla Jaggireddy, P Gannavaram MLA Kondeti Chittibabu, Razole MLA Vara Prasad, Zilla Parishad chairman Venugopala Rao and others visited the affected areas on Sunday.
Krishna said the financial assistance of Rs 2,000 each has been distributed to all the flood victims.