Alert Sounded as Floodwaters Swell Kolleru lake

Vijayawada: An alert has been sounded after floodwaters swelled the Kolleru lake on Wednesday.

Heavy rainfall and huge inflow of water into River Krishna and the Budameru drain created a critical situation for the region. Locals were asked by the authorities to remain at their homes and avoid travel in the lake by boats etc until the situation improved.

Eluru district collector Vetriselvi, SP Kishore and MLA Prabhakar visited Komatilanka village in Eluru rural mandal and inquired with the locals about the problems they faced. Officials advised the people to remain at home for the next two days.

Medical camps were arranged in the villages to treat people affected by seasonal ailments. Women in advanced stages of pregnancy were shifted to PHCs.

The collector said medicines were sent to the medical camps to treat fevers, gastroenteritis problems etc, as also the antidote for snake bites. Essential commodities would be supplied to the people in marooned areas by carrying these on boats.

The Denduluru MLA advised the collector to erect a road to Komatilanka by taking permission from the forest department. He proposed clearing the hyacinth growths from the Upputeru drain to avoid waterlogging.

SP Kishore said the police would not allow villagers to travel in boats for a couple of days and asked the parents to take care of their children and not allow them go for fishing and swimming until the flood situation eased.