Godavari reaches dangerous levels

Rajamahendravaram: A sense of panic has gripped the districts of Alluri Sitharama Raju, East Godavari, West Godavari, and Konaseema as the Godavari River’s flood levels intensify. The first flood warning was issued at 7 am on Thursday after the water level at the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Dowleswaram surpassed 11.75 ft. The river is in spate due to heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas like Maharashtra and a massive influx of floodwater from projects in Telangana. While the second flood warning remains in effect at Bhadrachalam, water is surging towards the Dowleswaram Barrage via Polavaram.

By 8 pm on Thursday, the flood level at the SAC Barrage had risen to 13 ft. With 9,100 cusecs of water being released into the delta canals, all irrigation channels are brimming. The surplus water, amounting to 11,65,473 cusecs, is being discharged into the sea. The water discharge has shown a sharp increase throughout the day. Starting at 7,40,578 cusecs at 10 am, it rose to 7,76,760 cusecs by 3 pm. By 6 pm, it reached 8 lakh cusecs, and by 8 pm, it had crossed the 11,85,000 cusecs mark. With flood levels expected to rise further, the administrative machinery is on high alert.