VIJAYAWADA: Water resources authorities have issued second flood warning after Godavari River crossed 13.75 feet at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram at 10:00 am on Wednesday, with 13 lakh cusecs of water being discharged at the time.
However, water level became stable at 14.40 feet with discharge of 13.66 lakh cusecs from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Authorities attributed this to water level at upstream Bhadrachalam falling to 49.60 feet at 6:00 p.m. from 50 feet at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
As a result, authorities may withdraw the second flood warning by Wednesday night or early hours of Thursday once the water level falls below 13.75 ft.
With no rainfall in upper catchment area of Godavari River, authorities are relieved, as Godavari has already witnessed floods thrice during the current rainy season.
Godavari River conservator R. Kasi Visweswara Rao said, “Our officers are on flood duty all along the river course downstream, especially in vulnerable places, as a precautionary measure. So far, no untoward incident like breach of flood banks has been reported.”
In East Godavari, district authorities are keeping a close tab at Mulakallanka and Maddurulanka in Rajahmundry and Kovvur mandals respectively for evacuating people to safety. East Godavari joint collector Ch. Sridhar said they are making arrangements to evacuate people from low-lying areas in case water discharge at Arthur Cotton Barrage touches 15 lakh cusecs.
In Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, district administration is keenly watching three vulnerable villages in P. Gannavaram and Ainavilli mandals, apart from villages in Mummidivaram, Sakhinetipalli, Mamidikuduru and Appanapalli mandals. Authorities have arranged boats as some causeways, especially in Appanapalli, are under flood water, affecting regular transport.
People living on island villages are, however, safe. With water level at Cotton barrage likely to fall, there may not be any impact on them.
A few villages in Kukkunuru and Velerupadu mandals of Eluru district have got marooned because of flood waters.
