KAKINADA: River Godavari witnessed heavy inflows on Thursday due to the rains in upstream areas. The first warning was sounded at Bhadrachalam and the water levels however remained steady.
Though the floodwater levels were receding slightly by Thursday night, officials said it may take one more day at Polavaram and Dowleswaram for the water levels to come down.
Breaches to roads were reported from nine places, leading to suspension of transport facilities in 50 villages in Chinturu, VR Puram, Kunavaram, Yetapaka and other mandals in the agency area.
In many villages, paddy and red-chilli crops were submerged by flood waters almost completely. Farmers said red-chilli crop can’t be saved as it was totally damaged.
In Polavaram mandal of West Godavari district, the Kothuru causeway was facing inundation for the past 15 days and the people of nearly seven villages reached moved to hillock areas to ensure their safety.
Jangareddygudem RDO Raju said nearly 1,500 families have reached the hillocks from their villages and they have been provided ration for three months, as also solar lights and other facilities.
Revenue officials are using boats to reach supply of essential commodities to them.
By Thursday evening, nine lakh cusecs of water reached the Polavaram project. Iirrigation officials discharged surplus water of 7.83 lakh cusecs into the sea from Dowleswaram barrage.
The Collector-Incharge of East Godavari Lakshmisha said the water levels at Bhadrachalam were at 43.40feet and Dowleswaram, Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at 10.20feet. He said flood waters may increase further at Dowleswaram barrage by Friday.
He advised officials to ensure there is no loss to crops and cattle apart from ensuring safety of humans. The ITDA project officers, sub-collectors, revenue divisional officers and others should be alerted, he said, adding they should also alert the inhabitants of flood-hit areas and provide food and other required material for the relief camps.
The official asked the Health officials to set up medical camps in the affected areas so that there will be no disease spread.
Rampachodavaram sub-collector Simhachalam said control rooms were opened and the flood victims may get information from it. Rehabilitation centres have also been set up. He requested the flood-hit villagers to make use of the rehabilitation shelters.
The Chinturu ITDA project officer Venkataramana said all rescue and relief steps were being taken and the people were put on the alert. At Bhadrachalam, the water levels were steady by Thursday evening. If the rains stopped at upstream areas of the river for more than two days, the water levels downstream of the river would recede.
The enumeration for crop loss and other matters would be taken up after the flood waters receded.
River Godavari touched its first warning level at Bhadrachalam on Thursday. The water level there crossed 43 feet of first warning level and maintained the level at 43.6 feet during the day. It is likely the water level will be between first and second warning levels for some more hours.
The river received massive water flow from its tributaries in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, like Pranahita, Penganga, Indravathi and Taliperu. Bhadradri district collector Anudeep said the administration is geared to face any situation.
Meanwhile, with copious rains in the catchment areas of River Krishna, the Srisaialam reservoir received 1,73,253 cusecs of water from the upstream Jurala project. The Srisailam reservoir level touched 883.30 feet against the total height of 885feet and was storing 206.0966tmc of water, short of 9tmc to the brim level, said an engineer from the water resources department.
The Priyadarshini Jurala Project lifted 11 gates to discharge 76,648 cusecs from the spillway and 38,949 cusecs of water from Powerhouse utilization. The Sunkesula barrage on the Tungabhadra river received 4066 cusecs of water and let out 2,215 cusecs to the inflows of Srisailam on Thursday.
The instant outflows at Srisailam from AP Power House were 30,934 cusecs and TS Powerhouse was 31,784 cusecs. The Pothireddy Padu head regulator has drawn 6,000 cusecs of water while the Mahatma Gandhi Kalwakurthi Lift scheme drew 800 cusecs, and the Malyal- HNSS accounted for 2,026 cusecs, the engineer said.
