KAKINADA: West and East Godavari districts experienced heavy rains disrupting normal life on Thursday with many low-lying areas in towns like Kakinada, Rajamahendravaram, Pithapuram, Samalkot, Pithapuram, Amalapuram, Mandapeta and others got inundated.
Yerrakalva reservoir in Eluru district is in spate having received inflows of more than 1,000 cusecs. The water level was recorded at the 81.85-metre point of the reservoir which of 83.50 metres.
The executive engineer of the reservoir said that at present the capacity is 2.29 TMC out of its 4.428 TMC capacity. He said that due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas, water may be released through Yerrakalva project gates at any time and it is expected that about 1,000 cusecs more water may be released.
He requested the officials and the people to take necessary security and precautionary measures in the downstream area of Yerrakalva project covering Jangareddygudem, Koyyalagudem, Nallajerla, Devarapalli, Tadepalligudem and Nidadavole mandals in West Godavari District.
Meanwhile agriculture activities, particularly in upland areas have been disrupted. Many farmers who are cultivating commercial crops like black gram, green gram and Bengal gram crops are a worried lot.
Kakinada district agriculture officer N. Vijayakumar said that the alternative crops are being sown in September. Due to rains, the farmers should stop sowing till rains abate. “If waterlogging takes place crops may be damaged,” he warned.
Meanwhile some farmers are spraying pesticides in their fields in particular Konaseema area and also under the lift irrigation areas. Dr Ambedkar Konaseema district agriculture officer Y. Ananda Kumari advised farmers not to spray pesticides without taking the advice of the agriculture officers in Rythu Bharosa Kendras.
Kakinada district collector Kritika Shukla said that due to the depression in the Bay of Bengal, there are heavy rains from September 7 to 11 and asked those officials concerned to alert people residing in hutments to move to safer place after identifying it. She also said that the people should postpone their travel plans.
Konaseema district collector Himanshu Shukla cautioned fishermen not to venture out into the sea for fishing as the cyclone has formed across the coastal area and the climate is not favourable for fishing.
Kakinada registered 1024.6 mm of rainfall with an average of 48.8 mm, Rajamahendravaram recorded 946.8 mm with an average of 49.8 mm and Chagallu recorded highest rainfall with 98.4 mm in East Godavari. West Godavari District registered 306.8 mm with an average of 16.1 mm. Eluru district registered 969.2 mm rainfall with an average of 34.6 mm and Konaseema District registered 496.6 mm with an average of 22.6 mm.
Rains disrupted normal life in many parts throughout the day.
