ANANTAPUR: Rivers and reservoirs within Rayalaseema are flowing at dangerous levels, with many low-lying areas going underwater. Standing crops have been damaged over large extents of lands following heavy floods in upstream Karnataka state.
District administrations of Anantapur, YSR, Satya Sai, Annamayya, Nandyal and Kurnool have sounded alerts of flooding. Officials are taking all measures to avoid any human loss.
Srisailam, the tail end project within Krishna basin in Andhra Pradesh, is already full, having reached its gross storage capacity. It has been receiving huge inflows since past one week. On Friday, Srisailam reservoir received 4.51 lakh cusecs of inflows. Dam authorities discharged 4.41 lakh cusecs downstream.
Sunkesula barrage is receiving abnormal inflows of 1.76 lakh cusecs. It is releasing similar amount of water towards Srisailam. Even though Tungabhadra has reduced its outflows to 35,125 cusecs, local rains are adding to heavy inflows in Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers till Srisailam.
Situation is similar at Pennar River. An old bridge over it between Muddanur and Jammalamadugu is under water, cutting off access to 16 villages. Water is being released continuously from Mylavaram Dam into the river.
Hagari River too is flowing heavily. Water flow has reached 30 feet near Parashurampura on the border of Anantapur district. This is the first time that Hagari is flowing at a dangerous level in past three decades, observed Raghu Nandan, resident of Rayadurgam.
Due to increased flows, gates of Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir have been opened and water released to Mid Pennar project.
Police pickets have been put in place at Penna Ahobilam, Jammalamadugu, Papagni, Roddam and Tadipathri to avoid any untoward incidents.
