Flood alert for 16 districts as Godavari, Krishna in spate
Vijayawada: Even as depression formed in Bay of Bengal weakened and moved towards the Odisha coast, flood water levels steadily increased in Krishna and Godavari rivers on Tuesday due to heavy rains in upland areas for the last two days, prompting flood alerts for 16 districts along the rivers in the state.
In the wake of rising water levels in the rivers, Special Chief Secretary of Disaster Management G Jayalakshmi held a teleconference with the district collectors of the affected regions, urging them to take immediate precautionary measures.
Speaking from the State Emergency Operations Center, Jayalakshmi directed officials to continuously monitor low-lying and flood-prone areas. She instructed them to issue timely alerts and, if necessary, to evacuate residents to relief and rehabilitation centers. Officials were also told to keep essential supplies, medicines, and sanitation materials ready.
To support emergency and relief operations, the government has sanctioned Rs 16 crore, allocating Rs 1 crore to each of the 16 flood-affected districts. This funding will be used to set up relief camps and distribute safe drinking water, food, milk, and medicine.
Jayalakshmi confirmed that State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed and are on standby in several areas, including Avanigadda, Krishna Ghat, Vijayawada, Chintur, and Amalapuram, to respond to any emergency.
As of 6:00 PM on Tuesday, the Godavari River water level at Bhadrachalam reached 36.6ft, with inflows and outflows at the Dowleswaram Barrage at 7.4 lakh cusecs. On the Krishna River, inflows and outflows at the Prakasam Barrage were 4.66 lakh cusecs and are expected to rise further. The first warning has been issued at Prakasam Barrage, officials said
The weather forecast for Wednesday indicates light to moderate rains in North Coastal districts. The public has been advised to avoid traveling on boats, to refrain from swimming or fishing in floodwaters, and not to attempt to cross overflowing streams or canals until the water levels completely subside.
Meanwhile, the depression formed over south interior Odisha moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 28 kmph on Tuesday and lay centred about 20 km northeast of Bhawanipatna (Odisha), 30 km south of Titlagarh (Odisha) and 120 km southeast of Nuapada (Odisha).
It is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards across south interior Odisha and south Chhattisgarh and weaken into a well- marked low-pressure area by Tuesday night, announced the Indian Meteorological Department. The depression resulted in normal to heavy rains in some parts of AP particularly in North Coastal Andhra for two days on Sunday and Monday.